Systems and methods for improving quality of service while streaming code-agnostic content

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods are described for a media guidance application (e.g., implemented on a user device) that improves quality of service while streaming code-agnostic content by optimizing buffering based on bit rate.

BACKGROUND

The amount of media available to users in any given media deliverysystem can be substantial. However, conventional media systems lackefficient media retrieval methods that take user preferences andtechnical limitations (e.g., poor bandwidth conditions) into account.Users may be presented with content that they may deem inappropriate.For example, children may be exposed to content with nudity, gore, andexplicit language. Even if this content will not be viewed by the user,conventional media systems may further use precious bandwidth toretrieve and generate, for display, the content anyway. Furthermore,conventional media systems may inefficiently buffer content that theuser does intend to view, causing chopping, stalling, and poorresolution.

SUMMARY

Systems and methods are described to address shortcomings in theconventional media systems via novel techniques for improving quality ofservice while streaming code-agnostic content, and for improving qualityof service while streaming code-agnostic content by editing manifestfiles. Unlike conventional media systems, these systems and methods mayprioritize the buffering of segments, of a media asset, associated withhigher bit rates (and therefore requiring better bandwidth conditions)before segments associated with lower bit rates. For example, thesystems and methods may receive a manifest file that indicatesindividual threshold bit rates necessary for a user's experience to notbe affected for each segment. As the segments associated with a higherbit rate require better bandwidth conditions, the media guidanceapplication may prioritize buffering these segments before othersegments in case bandwidth conditions worsen. Additionally, oralternatively, the media guidance application may remove segments thatare not used (or will not be viewable) by the user from the manifestfile. By removing these segments, bandwidth is not consumed in an effortto receive content that will not be viewed by the user anyway. Forexample, the media guidance application may consider a user's contentrating preferences such as parental guidance locks to remove scenes thatare inappropriate for the user from the manifest file. But rather thansimply blocking the content, the media guidance application may notbuffer the scenes at all, to satisfy bandwidth limitations.

The media guidance application may receive a user input requesting amedia asset. In response to receiving the user input, the media guidanceapplication may identify a remote server on which the media asset isstored. The media guidance application may request a manifest file ofthe media asset, wherein the manifest file lists a plurality of segmentsthat constitute the media asset, and wherein the manifest file furtherindicates a threshold bit rate for each segment. The media guidanceapplication may determine a first threshold bit rate for a first segmentof the plurality of segments and a second threshold bit rate for asecond segment of the plurality of segments, wherein the first segmentoccurs before the second segment during playback of the media asset on alocal device. The media guidance application may determine to buffer, atthe local device, the second segment before the first segment inresponse to determining that the second threshold bit rate is higherthan the first threshold bit rate. The media guidance application maybuffer, at the local device, the second segment before the first segmentand generate for display, from the buffer, the first segment before thesecond segment during playback of the media asset on the local device.

In some aspects, the media guidance application may receive a user inputrequesting a media asset. For example, the user may request a video“Mission Impossible” that he/she wants to view. This command may bereceived by the media guidance application through a user inputinterface that displays selectable videos for viewing.

In response to receiving the user input, the media guidance applicationmay identify a first remote server on which the media asset is stored.In this case, the remote server can be any device that provides aservice, such as file retrieval, for a client, such as the user's localdevice. Furthermore, the remote server can be connected to the user'slocal area network (LAN) as a remote access server (RAS), or may be apart of the local area network itself (e.g., LAN server). For example,the server can be a computer in a LAN network, a database server thatprocesses database queries, a cloud server that provides services ondemand over the Internet, a dedicated file server that stores files, orany device that can provide services to a client device remotely. Themedia guidance application first identifies servers that can communicatewith the media guidance application (e.g., transfer files, send deliverymessages etc.). The media guidance application then determines whetherthe media asset (e.g., “Mission Impossible”) requested by the user is onthe server. If the media asset is on the server, the media guidanceapplication identifies the server as a source for the media asset.

The media guidance application may request a manifest file of the mediaasset, wherein the manifest file lists a plurality of segments thatconstitute the media asset, and wherein the manifest file furtherindicates a threshold bit rate for each segment. For example, the videorequested by the user, “Mission Impossible,” may be split into multiplesegments (e.g., video clips) that collectively form the video. Since“Mission Impossible” is a movie, these segments may be divided bycontent such as plot points (e.g., first scene, second scene, etc.).Segments may also be divided equally based on time. For example, if themovie has a two-hour runtime, twenty segments can be generated, eachbeing a non-overlapping six-minute clip. Furthermore, the remote servermay arbitrarily divide the media asset into segments of differentlengths and sizes (e.g., disregarding plot points). The manifest fileindicates information about the plurality of segments such as the numberof segments, size of each segment, length of each segment, and thethreshold bit rate of each segment. The threshold bit rate for eachsegment is the number of bits per second that can be transmitted along adigital network, which are required to maintain a predetermined minimumquality of service, video resolution, etc. during playback of eachrespective segment. For example, in order to view “Mission Impossible”in high-definition (e.g., video resolution of 1280×720 px), each segmentmay have an associated bit rate to maintain the high-definitionresolution throughout the entire movie. Accordingly, certain segmentsmay be associated with higher threshold bit rates than other segments.For example, scenes with a variety of colors, frequent changes incolor/brightness, or higher sound quality may have higher threshold bitrates since they contain more information that needs to be transmitted.Furthermore, depending on the segment, dropping the bit rate in a firstsegment (e.g., featuring a variety of colors) may be more noticeable tothe viewer than dropping the bit rate in a second segment (e.g., featurefew colors). Accordingly, the manifest file may indicate that the firstsegment has a higher threshold bit rate than the second segment.

In some embodiments, the predetermined minimum video resolution for eachrespective segment is determined by a content provider. For example, theproduction or distribution company associated with the movie “MissionImpossible” may set the minimum video resolution to 480p (i.e., 640×480px), corresponding to standard definition, for a segment that isgenerally dark, which results in the lower resolution being lessperceptible by the viewer. In contrast, the production or distributioncompany may set the minimum video resolution to 1080p, corresponding tohigh definition, for a segment that is bright with a variety of colors,which results in a lower resolution being more perceptible by theviewer.

In some embodiments, the predetermined minimum video resolution for eachrespective segment is determined by a user preference. For example, themedia guidance application may receive a user indication via the userprofile a minimum video resolution (e.g., view content solely inhigh-definition) for all videos the user views. Alternatively, the mediaguidance application may receive a user indication that non-actionscenes (e.g., opening credits, etc.) may be transmitted at a lower bitrate to ensure bandwidth conditions do not affect the display of theaction scenes at a high bit rate.

In some embodiments, the predetermined minimum video resolution for eachrespective segment is determined by detecting a threshold number ofdifferent colors in each respective segment. For example, if scene Acontains 180 colors in a two-minute segment and scene B contains 10colors in a two-minute segment, scene A will have a different minimumvideo resolution than scene B. This is because scene A has considerablymore colors. Accordingly, a lower video resolution for scene B would bemore perceptible to the user.

In some embodiments, the predetermined minimum video resolution for eachrespective segment is determined by detecting a threshold number ofcolors changes for a single pixel location on consecutive frames in eachrespective segment. Suppose that segments are divided based on thecontent of the media asset (e.g., “Mission Impossible” is divided byplot points). For example, the climax of “Mission Impossible” mayfeature several action scenes in which the camera cuts between multiplelocations and characters. In comparison, suppose that another scene in“Mission Impossible” features a monologue by a character in the movie.The scene may be a long close-up of the character. The amount of colorchanges per pixel in the former will be far greater than the latter.Based on this determination, the media guidance application (or manifestfile) assigns the action scenes a higher threshold bit rate than themonologue scene as a lower resolution for the action scene would be moreperceptible to the user.

In some embodiments, the predetermined minimum video resolution for eachrespective segment is determined by detecting a threshold frame rate ineach respective segment. For example, if scene A has a frame rate of 24frames per second (fps) and scene B has a frame rate of 60 fps, bothscenes will have different bit rates even if they feature the samecontent. This is because scene B is transmitting more data in a givenperiod of time. Therefore, at a given threshold bit rate, the minimumvideo resolution will be determined by the threshold frame rate. Forexample, the high frame rate may indicate that a lower bit rate will bemore perceptible to the user.

The media guidance application may determine, from the manifest file, afirst segment sequence for the plurality of segments, wherein the firstsegment sequence corresponds to a sequence in which each segment of theplurality of segments is displayed during playback of the media asset ona local device. For example, the manifest file may indicate the order ofthe scenes in which “Mission Impossible” must be played back to retainthe original sequence of the movie.

The media guidance application may determine a first threshold bit ratefor a first segment of the plurality of segments and a second thresholdbit rate for a second segment of the plurality of segments, wherein thefirst segment occurs before the second segment in the first segmentsequence. Suppose that the user wants to view “Mission Impossible” inhigh-definition resolution (e.g., 720p) and each scene has a 24-fpsframe rate. The bit rate for the first segment, a monologue scene, maybe 5 Mbps (i.e., megabits per second). The bit rate of the secondsegment, an action scene, may be 8 Mbps. Furthermore, the monologuescene may appear before the action scene in normal playback of themovie.

The media guidance application may compare the first threshold bit rateand the second threshold bit rate to determine whether the secondthreshold bit rate is higher than the first threshold bit rate.Continuing from the previous example, the media guidance application maydetermine that the second segment has a second threshold bit rate of 8Mbps, which is higher than the first threshold bit rate of 5 Mbps.

The media guidance application may determine to buffer, at the localdevice, the second segment before the first segment in response todetermining that the second threshold bit rate is higher than the firstthreshold bit rate. In the previous example, since the second segmenthas a greater bit rate, the media guidance application may determinethat the second segment contains more information. Suppose that thesecond segment is 10 seconds long. If the threshold bit rate is 8 Mbpsto run at 720p, the second segment has a size of 80 Mb. Likewise, if thefirst segment is 10 seconds long, the first segment size is 50 Mb whenrunning at 720p. Furthermore, the user may be retrieving data from theserver at a rate of 9 Mbps. In order to ensure that the second segmentis fully buffered, the media guidance application may determine that thesecond segment should be buffered before the first segment. This ensuresthat even if the data retrieval rate from the server drops, the user canview both segments without any degradation in quality. Accordingly, themedia guidance application may buffer, at the local device, the secondsegment before the first segment.

In some embodiments, determining to buffer, at the local device, thesecond segment before the first segment is further in response todetermining that current bandwidth conditions support buffering anadditional segment of the plurality of segments while the third segmentof the plurality of segments is generated for display from the bufferwithout stalling playback of the third segment. For example, the mediaguidance application may first determine whether the current bandwidthconditions can support buffering an additional segment while a thirdsegment is generated for display. If the data retrieval rate from theserver needs to be at least 8 Mbps to successfully retrieve all segmentsand the user's data retrieval rate drops to 5 Mbps, the media guidanceapplication may determine that the current bandwidth conditions cannotsupport buffering additional segments.

The media guidance application may generate for display, from thebuffer, the first segment before the second segment during playback ofthe media asset on the local device. According to the first segmentsequence, the first segment should be played back before the secondsegment. Even though the second segment is buffered before the firstsegment, playback follows the first segment sequence.

In some embodiments, buffering, at the local device, the second segmentbefore the first segment occurs while a third segment of the pluralityof segments is generated for display from the buffer, and wherein thethird segment occurs before both the first segment and the secondsegment in the first segment sequence. For example, a third segment thatoccurs before the first and second segment during playback may begenerated for display while the media guidance application buffers thefirst and second segments.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may request themanifest file from a second remote server. For example, data associatedwith the media asset may be distributed over multiple servers. The firstserver may hold the media asset's segments, while the second remoteserver may hold the media asset's manifest file and metadata.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may determine, fromthe manifest file, a second segment sequence for the plurality ofsegments, wherein the second segment sequence corresponds to a sequencein which each segment of the plurality of segments is buffered on thelocal device in an order based on the threshold bit rate for eachsegment. For example, rather than locally determining an order by whichto buffer segments, the media guidance application may refer to themanifest file for a predetermined sequence organized by threshold bitrates. If the second segment has a 10-Mbps threshold bit rate and thefirst segment has a 5-Mbps threshold bit rate, the second segmentsequence may order the second segment before the first segment. Incontrast, the second segment sequence may be organized such that lowerbit rates are given more priority. Thus, the first segment may bebuffered before the second segment.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may determine athird threshold bit rate for a third segment of the plurality ofsegments, wherein the third segment occurs before the first segment inthe first segment sequence. For example, the media guidance applicationmay determine that the third segment's threshold bit rate is 4 Mbps. Themedia guidance application may compare the first threshold bit rate andthe third threshold bitrate to determine whether the first threshold bitrate is higher than the third threshold bit rate. For example, the firstsegment's threshold bit rate may be 5 Mbps, which is greater than thethird segment's threshold bit rate. The media guidance application maythen determine to buffer, at the local device, the third segment beforethe first segment in response to determining that the third thresholdbit rate is not higher than the first threshold bit rate. For example,the media guidance application may proceed to buffer the third segment,followed by the first segment. This may also be because the mediaguidance application may be following the second segment sequencedescribed previously.

The media guidance application may receive a user input requesting amedia asset. In response to receiving the user input, the media guidanceapplication may identify a remote server on which the media asset isstored. The media guidance application may request a manifest file ofthe media asset, wherein the manifest file lists a plurality of segmentsthat constitute the media asset, and wherein the manifest file furtherindicates a content rating for each segment. The media guidanceapplication may determine a first content rating for a first segment ofthe plurality of segments. The media guidance application may comparethe first content rating to a threshold content rating. The mediaguidance application may maintain the first segment on the manifest filein response to determining that the first content rating corresponds tothe threshold content rating. The media guidance application maygenerate for display, the first segment during playback of the mediaasset on the local device.

In some aspects, the media guidance application may receive a user inputrequesting a media asset. For example, the user may request a video“Game of Thrones Episode 5” that he/she wants to view. This command maybe received by the media guidance application through a user inputinterface that displays selectable videos for viewing.

In response to receiving the user input, the media guidance applicationmay identify a first remote server on which the media asset is stored.In this case, the remote server can be any device that provides aservice, such as file retrieval, for a client, such as the user's localdevice. Furthermore, the remote server can be connected to the user'slocal area network (LAN) as a remote access server (RAS), or may be apart of the local area network itself (e.g., LAN server). For example,the server can be a computer in a LAN network, a database server thatprocesses database queries, a cloud server that provides services ondemand over the Internet, a dedicated file server that stores files, orany device that can provide services to a client device remotely. Themedia guidance application first identifies servers that can communicatewith the media guidance application (e.g., transfer files, send deliverymessages etc.). The media guidance application then determines whetherthe media asset (e.g., “Game of Thrones Episode 5”) requested by theuser is on the server. If the media asset is on the server, the mediaguidance application identifies the server as a source for the mediaasset.

The media guidance application may request a manifest file of the mediaasset, wherein the manifest file lists a plurality of segments thatconstitute the media asset, and wherein the manifest file furtherindicates a content rating for each segment. For example, the videorequested by the user, “Game of Thrones Episode 5,” may be split intomultiple segments (e.g., video clips) that collectively form the video.Since “Game of Thrones Season 5” is a television show, these segmentsmay be divided by content such as plot points (e.g., first scene, secondscene, etc.). Segments may also be divided equally based on time. Forexample, if the movie has a two-hour runtime, twenty segments can begenerated, each being a non-overlapping six-minute clip. Furthermore,the remote server may arbitrarily divide the media asset into segmentsof different lengths and sizes (e.g., disregarding plot points). Themanifest file indicates information about the plurality of segments suchas the number of segments, size of each segment, length of each segment,and the content rating of each segment. The content rating of eachsegment may indicate the recommended audience for which the content issuitable (e.g., TV-PG, TV-MA, PG-13, R, etc.). The exact value of thecontent rating may vary based on the origin of the content. For example,Brazil indicates a number that represents the minimum age the audienceshould be to view the content (e.g., 10, 12, 14, 18, etc.). In someembodiments, the content rating may be any arbitrary value or symbolthat describes the content. For example, a segment featuring gore mayhave a content rating of “R” or “TV-MA,” but it may also be the term“gore” or a symbol such as a red circle. The media guidance applicationmay refer to stored content rating database that lists eachrepresentation (e.g., symbol, number, word, etc.) along with itsrespective meaning. Certain segments may therefore have a content ratingof TV-PG because it features a normal conversation between characters,whereas another segment may have a content rating of a red circlebecause it features gore and violence.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may determine, fromthe manifest file, a first segment sequence for the plurality ofsegments, wherein the first segment sequence corresponds to a sequencein which each segment of the plurality of segments is displayed duringplayback of the media asset on a local device, wherein requesting themanifest file is in response to receiving a user input requesting amedia asset. For example, when the user requests the media asset, themedia guidance application may request the manifest file. The manifestfile may provide a first segment sequence which orders the segmentsbased on the order they should be played back (e.g., to maintain theplot as originally intended by the content provider). If the userrequests the media asset “Game of Thrones Episode 5,” segment A mayfeature an argument between characters and segment B may feature aswordfight between the characters in response to the argument.Therefore, segment A should be played back before segment B.

The media guidance application may determine a first content rating fora first segment of the plurality of segments and a second content ratingfor a second segment of the plurality of segments. As discussedpreviously, content ratings may be arbitrarily set by the contentprovider or may be based on a country's regulation. Suppose the mediaasset originates from the United States. The content ratings for atelevision program will range from TV-Y (i.e., appropriate for allchildren) to TV-MA (i.e., specifically designed to be viewed by adults).Alternatively, the content provider may use symbols or words todetermine a separate content ratings system. If the user requests toview “Game of Thrones Episode 5,” the media guidance application mayretrieve segments from the first remote server and determine the contentrating for each segment. For example, the first segment may feature ascene with nudity and thus have a TV-MA content rating. The secondsegment may feature a scene of a normal conversation between charactersand have a TV-PG content rating. Based on the manifest file, the mediaguidance application may determine these respective content ratings forthe segments.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may determine, fromthe manifest file, a first segment sequence for the plurality ofsegments, wherein the first segment sequence corresponds to a sequencein which each segment of the plurality of segments is displayed duringplayback of the media asset on a local device. Furthermore, determiningthe first content rating for the first segment of the plurality ofsegments and the second content rating for the second segment of theplurality of segments may be in response to determining that the mediaasset cannot be buffered for playback according to the first segmentsequence, at current bandwidth conditions, without stalling orrebuffering. For example, current bandwidth conditions may indicate thatthe media asset cannot be buffered in its entirety without stalling orrebuffering. Therefore, the media guidance application may begin theprocess of editing manifest files to maintain the order of the firstsegment sequence (e.g., normal playback of the media asset) and satisfycurrent bandwidth conditions. The media guidance application maydetermine that removing segments that the user does not intend to viewfrom the manifest file can satisfy the current bandwidth conditions. Inresponse, the media guidance application may determine the contentratings of each segment.

The media guidance application may compare the first content rating to athreshold content rating. The threshold content rating represents amaximum content rating that the user can view. For example, thethreshold content rating may represent a parental lock that preventschildren from viewing content rated above TV-PG. If content ratings aresymbols that represent elements such as gore, nudity, or violence (e.g.,red circle, brown circle, red triangle, respectively), the thresholdcontent rating may serve as a filter. Therefore, any segments associatedwith a content rating of a red circle or red triangle may blocked by athreshold content rating that filters out gore and violence. Based onthe previous example, the media guidance application may determine thatthe first content rating is TV-MA. If the threshold content rating isTV-PG, the media guidance application may determine that the firstcontent rating exceeds the threshold content rating.

The media guidance application may compare the second content rating toa threshold content rating. For example, the media guidance applicationmay determine that the second content rating is TV-PG and the thresholdcontent rating is also TV-PG. Therefore, the second content ratingcorresponds to the threshold content rating. In some embodiments, thethreshold content rating is determined by a user preference. Forexample, a parental guidance lock retrieved from a user profile mayindicate that content ratings above TV-PG are not allowable for viewing.The parental guidance lock provides the threshold content rating ofTV-PG. In some embodiments, the threshold content rating is determinedby a content provider. For example, the content provider may use symbolsto rate segments with explicit language. The content provider mayprovide a child-friendly version of the content by providing a thresholdcontent rating that can filter out segments with explicit language.

The media guidance application may remove the first segment from themanifest file in response to determining that the first content ratingdoes not correspond to the threshold content rating. For example, upondetermining that the first content rating of TV-MA exceeds the thresholdcontent rating of TV-PG, the media guidance application may remove thefirst segment from the manifest file. Therefore, during buffering, thefirst segment may not be buffered.

The media guidance application may maintain the second segment on themanifest file in response to determining that the second content ratingcorresponds to the threshold content rating. For example, the mediaguidance application may determine that the second content rating ofTV-PG corresponds to the threshold content rating of TV-PG. Therefore,the second segment may be left on the manifest file.

The media guidance application may buffer, at the local device, thesecond segment in response to determining that the second segment islisted on the manifest file. For example, the media guidance applicationmay buffer, to the user's smartphone, the scene in “Game of ThronesEpisode 5,” which features a normal conversation between characters.

The media guidance application may generate for display, from thebuffer, the second segment during playback of the media asset on thelocal device. For example, the media guidance application may displaythe scene featuring a normal conversation between characters, on theuser's smartphone, for viewing.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may buffer thesecond segment, at the local device, while a third segment of theplurality of segments is generated for display from the buffer. Forexample, while the media guidance application buffers the scene of anormal conversation between characters, the media guidance applicationmay display the prior scene (e.g., the characters entering the room).Thus, the user is not simply waiting for all segments to buffer.Buffering and generating occur in parallel.

In some embodiments, buffering, at the local device, the second segmentis in response to determining that current bandwidth conditions supportbuffering an additional segment of the plurality of segments while athird segment of the plurality of segments is generated for display fromthe buffer without stalling playback of the third segment. For example,if the media guidance application may determine that the currentbandwidth conditions allow for the third segment to be generated fordisplay and for an additional segment to be buffered at the localdevice. If these tasks cannot be performed in parallel due to thecurrent bandwidth conditions, the media guidance application may notbuffer additional segments until the current bandwidth conditionschange.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may determine, fromthe manifest file, a second segment sequence for the plurality ofsegments, wherein the second segment sequence corresponds to a sequencein which each segment of the plurality of segments is buffered on thelocal device in an order based on the content rating for each segment.For example, the media asset may be split into five segments on theremote server. Three of the segments may be associated with a contentrating of TV-PG, whereas two segments may be associated with a contentrating of TV-MA. The second segment sequence may order the threesegments associated with a content rating of TV-PG before the twosegments associated with a content rating of TV-MA. If the thresholdcontent rating is TV-PG, the second segment sequence conveniently allowsthe media guidance application to remove the last two segments from themanifest file without individually comparing the respective contentratings with the threshold content rating.

In some embodiments, the second segment sequence corresponds to thefirst segment sequence after the first segment is removed. For example,if the media guidance application removed the first segment from themanifest file because the first content rating did not correspond to thethreshold content rating, the first segment sequence may be referred toas the second segment sequence (e.g., modified version of the firstsegment sequence).

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may request themanifest file from a second remote server. For example, data associatedwith the media asset may be distributed over multiple servers. The firstserver may hold the media asset's segments, while the second remoteserver may hold the media asset's manifest file and metadata.

It should be noted that the systems, methods, apparatuses, and/oraspects described above may be applied to, or used in accordance with,other systems, methods, apparatuses, and/or aspects described in thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and advantages of the disclosure will beapparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 show illustrative examples of display screens generated bya media guidance application in accordance with some embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an illustrative user equipment device inaccordance with some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an illustrative media system in accordancewith some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a detailed illustrative process for improvingquality of service while streaming code-agnostic content in accordancewith some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a detailed illustrative process for determiningwhether additional segments can be buffered based on current bandwidthconditions, in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a detailed illustrative process for bufferingon the local device in an order based on the threshold bit rate for eachsegment, in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a detailed illustrative process for improvingquality of service while streaming code-agnostic content by editingmanifest files, in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a detailed illustrative process for determiningwhether a media asset can be buffered for playback according to a firstsegment sequence at the current bandwidth conditions, in accordance withsome embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a detailed illustrative process fordetermining, from the manifest file, a second segment sequence for theplurality of segments, in accordance with some embodiments of thedisclosure; and

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a detailed illustrative process for bufferingadditional segments based on current bandwidth conditions, in accordancewith some embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Systems and methods are described to address shortcomings in theconventional media systems via novel techniques for improving quality ofservice while streaming code-agnostic content. Unlike conventional mediasystems, these systems and methods may prioritize buffering segments ofa media asset based on user preference and technical limitations (e.g.,threshold bit rates, content rating, etc.).

Consider a scenario in which a user wants to view a media asset on theirlocal device (e.g., smartphone). The media asset may be an episode ofthe user's favorite television show “Grey's Anatomy,” a show thatfocuses on the lives of medical staff of a hospital in the UnitedStates. The media asset may be accessible from a remote server. Based ona user profile stored in the user's smartphone, the user preferences mayindicate that any video viewed by the user must have a minimumresolution of 720p. The user may rely on the media guidance applicationfor efficient retrieval and display of “Grey's Anatomy.”

The amount of media available to users in any given media deliverysystem can be substantial. Consequently, many users desire a form ofmedia guidance, an interface that allows users to efficiently navigatemedia selections and easily identify media that they may desire. Anapplication which provides such guidance is referred to herein as aninteractive media guidance application or, sometimes, a guidanceapplication.

Interactive media guidance applications may take various forms dependingon the media for which they provide guidance. One typical type of mediaguidance application is an interactive television program guide.Interactive television program guides (sometimes referred to aselectronic program guides) are well-known guidance applications that,among other things, allow users to navigate among and locate televisionprogramming viewing choices and, in some systems, digital music choices.The television programming (and music programming) may be provided viatraditional broadcast, cable, satellite, Internet, or any other means.The programming may be provided on a subscription basis (sometimesreferred to as premium programming), as pay-per-view programs, oron-demand such as in video-on-demand (VOD) systems.

With the advent of the Internet, mobile computing, and high-speedwireless networks, users are able to access media on personal computers(PCs) and devices on which they traditionally could not.Non-television-centric platforms (i.e., platforms that distribute mediawith equipment not part of the user's broadcast, cable or satellitetelevision-delivery network) allow users to navigate among and locatedesirable video clips, full motion videos (which may include televisionprograms), images, music files, and other suitable media. Consequently,media guidance is also necessary on modern non-television-centricplatforms. For example, media guidance applications may be provided ason-line applications (i.e., provided on a web-site), or as stand-aloneapplications or clients on hand-held computers, personal digitalassistants (PDAs) or cellular telephones. In some systems, users maycontrol equipment remotely via a media guidance application. Forexample, users may access an online media guide and set recordings orother settings on their in home equipment. This may be accomplished bythe on-line guide controlling the user's equipment directly or viaanother media guide that runs on the user's equipment. Remote access ofinteractive media guidance applications is discussed in greater detailin U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/246,392, filed Oct. 7, 2005,which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

The media guidance application may receive a user input requesting amedia asset. For example, the user may request a video “Grey's AnatomyEpisode 1” that he/she wants to view. This command may be received bythe media guidance application through a user input interface thatdisplays selectable videos for viewing. For example, the user may selectthe media asset from a variety of media assets displayed on his/hersmartphone screen.

In response to receiving the user input, the media guidance applicationmay identify a first remote server on which the media asset is stored.In this case, the remote server can be any device that provides aservice, such as file retrieval, for a client, such as the user'ssmartphone. Furthermore, the remote server can be connected to theuser's local area network (LAN) as a remote access server (RAS), or maybe a part of the local area network itself (e.g., LAN server). Forexample, the server can be a computer in a LAN network, a databaseserver that processes database queries, a cloud server that providesservices on demand over the Internet, a dedicated file server thatstores files, or any device that can provide services to a client deviceremotely.

The media guidance application may first identify servers that cancommunicate with the media guidance application (e.g., transfer files,send delivery messages etc.). The media guidance application then maydetermine whether the media asset (e.g., “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1”)requested by the user is on the server. The user's smartphone may send abroadcast media asset search query to multiple remote servers. Theremote servers may each respond with acknowledgment messages, indicatingthat the search query has been received. The remote servers may begin asearch for “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1” in their respective media assetdatabases. Upon determining that “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1” is availablein the media asset database(s), the remote servers may transmit amessage to the user's smartphone indicating availability of therequested media asset. The user's smartphone may then establishcommunication with one of the remote servers (e.g., remote server withthe fastest response, remote server with the highest download/uploadrates, nearest remote server, etc.).

The media guidance application may request a manifest file of the mediaasset, wherein the manifest file lists a plurality of segments thatconstitute the media asset, and wherein the manifest file furtherindicates a threshold bit rate for each segment. For example, the videorequested by the user, “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1,” may be split intomultiple segments (e.g., video clips) that collectively form the video.These segments may be divided by content such as plot points (e.g.,first scene, second scene, etc.), locations (e.g., bedroom scene, parkscene, terrace scene, etc.) or characters (e.g., first character'smonologue, second character's arrival, etc.). Segments may also bedivided equally based on time. For example, if the show has a one-hourruntime, twenty segments can be generated, each being a non-overlappingthree-minute clip. Furthermore, the remote server may arbitrarily dividethe media asset into segments of different lengths and sizes (e.g.,disregarding plot points).

The manifest file indicates information about the plurality of segmentssuch as the number of segments as well as size, length, threshold bitrate, and content rating of each segment. The threshold bit rate foreach segment is the number of bits per second that can be transmittedalong a digital network, which are required to maintain a predeterminedminimum video resolution during playback of each respective segment. Forexample, in order to view “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1” in high-definition(e.g., video resolution of 1280×720 px), each segment may have anassociated bit rate to maintain the high-definition resolutionthroughout the entire video. Accordingly, certain segments may beassociated with higher threshold bit rates than other segments. Forexample, scenes with a variety of colors or higher sound quality mayhave higher threshold bit rates since they contain more information thatneeds to be transmitted. Furthermore, depending on the segment, droppingthe bit rate in a first segment (e.g., featuring a variety of colors)may be more noticeable to the viewer than dropping the bit rate in asecond segment (e.g., feature few colors). Accordingly, the manifestfile may indicate that the first segment has a higher threshold bit ratethan the second segment.

In some embodiments, the predetermined minimum video resolution for eachrespective segment is determined by a content provider. For example, theproduction or distribution company associated with the “Grey's AnatomyEpisode 1” may set the minimum video resolution to 480p (i.e., 640×480px), corresponding to standard definition, for a segment that isgenerally dark, which results in the lower resolution being lessperceptible by the viewer. In contrast, the production or distributioncompany may set the minimum video resolution to 1080p, corresponding tohigh definition, for a segment that is bright with a variety of colors,which results in a lower resolution being more perceptible by theviewer.

In some embodiments, the predetermined minimum video resolution for eachrespective segment is determined by a user preference. For example, theuser may indicate, on his/her user profile, a minimum video resolution(e.g., view content solely in high-definition) for all videos the userviews. In this example, the user preferences indicate that the user'sminimum video resolution is 720p. The content provider's minimum videoresolution is set to 480p. In this case, the media guidance applicationmay choose the higher video resolution as the minimum video resolutionto use when displaying “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1.” If the contentprovider and the user do not indicate a minimum video resolution, themedia guidance application may also refer to a default minimumresolution that can satisfy current bandwidth conditions. Alternatively,the media guidance application may receive a user indication thatnon-action scenes (e.g., opening credits, etc.) may be transmitted at alower bit rate to ensure bandwidth conditions do not affect the displayof the action scenes at a high bit rate.

In some embodiments, the predetermined minimum video resolution for eachrespective segment is determined by detecting a threshold number ofdifferent colors in each respective segment. For example, if scene Acontains 180 colors in a three-minute segment and scene B contains 10colors in a three-minute segment, scene A will have a different minimumvideo resolution than scene B. This is because scene A has more colors.

In some embodiments, the predetermined minimum video resolution for eachrespective segment is determined by detecting a threshold number ofcolors changes for a single pixel location on consecutive frames in eachrespective segment. Suppose that segments are divided based on thecontent of the media asset (e.g., “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1” is dividedby plot points). For example, the episode may feature a tense surgeryscene in which the camera cuts between multiple characters. Incomparison, suppose that another scene in “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1”features a monologue by a character. The scene may be a long close-up ofthe character. The amount of color changes per pixel in the former willbe far greater than the latter. The former would therefore require a lotmore data to be transmitted in a given period of time in order tomaintain the minimum video resolution (e.g., higher bit rate). This isbecause a pixel that maintains the same color in a given period of timemay be represented in compact manner. Suppose that informationtransmitted about pixel settings is organized by pixel name,x-coordinate, y-coordinate, RGB color, and duration of depiction inseconds (e.g., [pixel 1, 1, 1, 0-255-0, 12]). For a twelve secondsegment, the information in the example highlighted may be enough forpixel 1. However, if pixel 1's color changes multiple times, additionalinformation would be needed (e.g., [pixel 1, 1, 1, 0-255-0, 4], [pixel1, 1, 1, 255-255-2, 3], etc.).

In some embodiments, the predetermined minimum video resolution for eachrespective segment is determined by detecting a threshold frame rate ineach respective segment. For example, if scene A has a frame rate of 30frames per second (fps) and scene B has a frame rate of 60 fps, bothscenes will have different bit rates even if they feature the samecontent. This is because scene B is transmitting twice as many frames ina given period of time than scene A. Since each frame has additionalinformation associated with it, scene B may have a higher threshold bitrate. If the user's local device is retrieving the media asset'ssegments at 10 Mbps, the media guidance application may determine thatthe minimum video resolution of scene B needs to be lower than scene A'sminimum video resolution because scene B has more frames that need to beretrieved.

In each of these cases, the minimum video resolution may represent aresolution at which the user can view the content at an acceptablequality. For example, an action scene may have a higher minimum videoresolution than a monologue scene because action scenes usually havemore intricate features (e.g., smaller objects, several colors, colorchanges, high frame refresh-rates, etc.) In contrast, monologue scenescan be viewed at lower video resolutions without a noticeable drop, ifany, in the quality of service. The media guidance application maytherefore give priority to buffering an action scene before a monologuescene because the action scene may require a higher minimum videoresolution and may have a higher bit rate. In order to improve thequality of service compared to conventional media systems, the mediaguidance application may be able to load all segments at theirrespective minimum video resolutions, even in poor bandwidth conditions.

The media guidance application may determine, from the manifest file, afirst segment sequence for the plurality of segments, wherein the firstsegment sequence corresponds to a sequence in which each segment of theplurality of segments is displayed during playback of the media asset ona local device. For example, the manifest file may indicate the order ofthe scenes in which “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1” must be played backchronologically based on the scenes and plot of the episode.

It is important to note that the media guidance application may alsoretrieve files associated with the media asset from multiple servers. Insome embodiments, the media guidance application may request themanifest file from a second remote server. For example, data associatedwith the media asset may be distributed over multiple servers. The firstserver may hold the media asset's segments, while the second server mayhold the media asset's manifest file and metadata.

The media guidance application may determine a first threshold bit ratefor a first segment of the plurality of segments and a second thresholdbit rate for a second segment of the plurality of segments, wherein thefirst segment occurs before the second segment in the first segmentsequence. Suppose that the user wants to view “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1”in high-definition resolution (e.g., 720p) and each scene has a 30-fpsframe rate. The bit rate for the first segment, a monologue scene, maybe 5 Mbps (i.e., megabits per second). The bit rate of the secondsegment, a tense surgery scene, may be 8 Mbps. Furthermore, themonologue scene may appear before the surgery scene in normal playbackof the movie (e.g., based on the plot).

The media guidance application may compare the first threshold bit rateand the second threshold bit rate to determine whether the secondthreshold bit rate is higher than the first threshold bit rate.Continuing from the previous example, the media guidance application maydetermine that the second segment has a second threshold bit rate of 8Mbps, which is higher than the first threshold bit rate of 5 Mbps.

The media guidance application may determine to buffer, at the localdevice, the second segment before the first segment in response todetermining that the second threshold bit rate is higher than the firstthreshold bit rate. In some embodiments, the media guidance applicationmay partially buffer the second segment before the first segment andthen begin buffering the first segment, followed by the remainder of thesecond segment. In the previous example, since the second segment has agreater bit rate, the media guidance application may determine that thesecond segment contains more information. Suppose that the secondsegment is 4 seconds long. If the second threshold bit rate is 8 Mbps torun at 720p, the second segment has a size of 32 Mb. Likewise, if thefirst segment is 10 seconds long, the first segment size is 50 Mb whenrunning at 720p. Furthermore, the user may be retrieving data from theserver at a rate of 16 Mbps.

In order to ensure that the second segment is fully buffered, the mediaguidance application may determine that the second segment should bebuffered before the first segment. This ensures that even if the dataretrieval rate from the server drops, the user can view both segmentswithout any degradation in quality. For example, the media guidanceapplication may buffer the second segment in two seconds when the dataretrieval rate is 16 Mbps and the size of the second segment is 32 Mb.Suppose that the data retrieval rate then drops to 5 Mbps. the mediaguidance application may buffer the first segment normally. It should benoted, however, that the new data retrieval rate of 5 Mbps is lower thanthe second threshold bit rate of 8 Mbps. Therefore, if the mediaguidance application did not buffer the second segment before the firstsegment, the media asset playback of the second segment would sufferfrom stalling and quality degradation (e.g., pixilation, blurriness,lower resolution, etc.). This is because the media guidance applicationcannot buffer 8 Mb every second. Accordingly, the media guidanceapplication buffers, at the local device, the second segment before thefirst segment in order to maintain the quality of service. Furthermore,if the data retrieval rate drops to 1 Mbps, the media guidanceapplication may be unable to buffer the first segment at a highdefinition resolution. Therefore, the media guidance application mayretrieve the minimum video resolution of the first segment from themanifest file. The minimum video resolution of the first segment may bea standard definition resolution which requires a first threshold bitrate of 1 Mbps. Therefore, the media guidance application may be able tobuffer the first segment at the minimum video resolution under currentbandwidth conditions. Since the first segment is simply a monologue of acharacter, viewing the scene at a lower resolution may not be noticeableto the user. Thus, the media guidance application improves the qualityof service from a situation where both segments are either buffered atvery low resolutions, or not buffered at all.

The media guidance application may generate for display, from thebuffer, the first segment before the second segment during playback ofthe media asset on the local device. According to the first segmentsequence, the first segment should be played back before the secondsegment. Even though the second segment is buffered before the firstsegment, playback follows the first segment sequence in order tomaintain the chronological order by which the content is meant to beviewed.

In some embodiments, buffering, at the local device, the second segmentbefore the first segment occurs while a third segment of the pluralityof segments is generated for display from the buffer, and wherein thethird segment occurs before both the first segment and the secondsegment in the first segment sequence. For example, a third segment thatoccurs before the first and second segment during playback may begenerated for display while the media guidance application buffers thefirst and second segments. The first segment may be a monologue of acharacter in “Grey's Anatomy Episode 1.” The second segment may be asurgery scene. The third segment may be a scene in which the charactersenter the surgery room. The third segment may lead into the firstsegment in which the one of the characters delivers a monologue.

In some embodiments, determining to buffer, at the local device, thesecond segment before the first segment is further in response todetermining that current bandwidth conditions support buffering anadditional segment of the plurality of segments while the third segmentof the plurality of segments is generated for display from the bufferwithout stalling playback of the third segment. For example, the mediaguidance application may first determine whether the current bandwidthconditions can support buffering an additional segment while a thirdsegment is generated for display. Suppose that the third threshold bitrate of the third segment is 4 Mbps. The user's data retrieval rate maybe 8 Mbps. Therefore, the media guidance application can allocate 4 Mbpsfrom the data retrieval rate to buffer additional segments.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may determine, fromthe manifest file, a second segment sequence for the plurality ofsegments, wherein the second segment sequence corresponds to a sequencein which each segment of the plurality of segments is buffered on thelocal device in an order based on the threshold bit rate for eachsegment. For example, rather than locally determining an order by whichto buffer segments, the media guidance application may refer to themanifest file for a predetermined sequence organized by threshold bitrates. Suppose the second segment sequence is ordered such that higherthreshold bit rates are listed before lower threshold bit rates. If thesecond segment has a 10-Mbps second threshold bit rate and the firstsegment has a 5-Mbps first threshold bit rate, the second segmentsequence may order the second segment before the first segment. Ratherthan retrieving and comparing the first threshold bit rate and thesecond threshold bit rate, the media guidance application may simplydetermine whether the second segment is listed before the first segmentin the second segment sequence. In contrast, the second segment sequencemay be organized in the opposite order, such that lower bit rates aregiven more priority. Thus, the first segment may be ordered before thesecond segment.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may determine athird threshold bit rate for a third segment of the plurality ofsegments, wherein the third segment occurs before the first segment inthe first segment sequence. For example, the media guidance applicationmay determine that the third segment's threshold bit rate is 4 Mbps. Themedia guidance application may compare the first threshold bit rate andthe third threshold bitrate to determine whether the first threshold bitrate is higher than the third threshold bit rate. For example, the firstsegment's threshold bit rate may be 5 Mbps, which is greater than thethird segment's threshold bit rate. The media guidance application maythen determine to buffer, at the local device, the third segment beforethe first segment in response to determining that the third thresholdbit rate is not higher than the first threshold bit rate. For example,the media guidance application may proceed to buffer the third segment,followed by the first segment. This may also be because the mediaguidance application may be following the second segment sequencedescribed previously where priority is given to segments with lowerthreshold bit rates. This may be because the data retrieval rate issimply too low to buffer very high threshold bit rates. Thus, the mediaguidance application may decide to buffer segments that are less than orequal to the data retrieval rate.

The media guidance application may receive a user input requesting amedia asset. In response to receiving the user input, the media guidanceapplication may identify a remote server on which the media asset isstored. The media guidance application may request a manifest file ofthe media asset, wherein the manifest file lists a plurality of segmentsthat constitute the media asset, and wherein the manifest file furtherindicates a content rating for each segment. The media guidanceapplication may determine a first content rating for a first segment ofthe plurality of segments. The media guidance application may comparethe first content rating to a threshold content rating. The mediaguidance application may maintain the first segment on the manifest filein response to determining that the first content rating corresponds tothe threshold content rating. The media guidance application maygenerate for display, the first segment during playback of the mediaasset on the local device.

The media guidance application may receive a user input requesting amedia asset. It should be noted that the user can request any type ofmedia asset. For example, suppose the user requests the song “LoseYourself by Eminem.” The song may be available as a music file that isfive minutes long. This command may be received by the media guidanceapplication through a user input interface that displays selectablemusic for listening.

In response to receiving the user input, the media guidance applicationmay identify a first remote server on which the media asset is stored.In this case, the remote server can be any device that provides aservice, such as file retrieval, for a client, such as the user's localdevice. Furthermore, the remote server can be connected to the user'slocal area network (LAN) as a remote access server (RAS), or may be apart of the local area network itself (e.g., LAN server). For example,the server can be a computer in a LAN network, a database server thatprocesses database queries, a cloud server that provides services ondemand over the Internet, a dedicated file server that stores files, orany device that can provide services to a client device remotely.

The media guidance application first identifies servers that cancommunicate with the media guidance application (e.g., transfer files,send delivery messages etc.). The media guidance application thendetermines whether the media asset (e.g., “Lose Yourself by Eminem”)requested by the user is on the server. If the media asset is on theserver, the media guidance application identifies the server as a sourcefor the media asset. Certain media assets may have multiple versions.For example, “Lose Yourself by Eminem” has a radio edit, an albumversion, and several remixes. Due to this, the media guidanceapplication may first identify all versions of the media asset and thenprompt the user to select one version.

The media guidance application may request a manifest file of the mediaasset, wherein the manifest file lists a plurality of segments thatconstitute the media asset, and wherein the manifest file furtherindicates a content rating for each segment. For example, the music filerequested by the user, “Lose Yourself by Eminem,” may be split intomultiple segments (e.g., sound clips) that collectively form the song.Since “Lose Yourself by Eminem” is a song, these segments may be dividedby content such as lyrics (e.g., first lyric, second lyric, etc.) orinstruments (e.g., piano solo, guitar beat, etc.). Segments may also bedivided equally based on time. For example, if the song has afive-minute runtime, five segments can be generated, each being anon-overlapping one-minute sound clip. Furthermore, the remote servermay arbitrarily divide the media asset into segments of differentlengths and sizes (e.g., disregarding beats and lyrics).

The manifest file indicates information about the plurality of segmentssuch as the number of segments, size of each segment, length of eachsegment, and the content rating of each segment. The content rating ofeach segment may indicate the recommended audience for which the contentis suitable. For example, television content in the United States iscategorized as any of the following: TV-PG, TV-MA, PG-13, R, etc. Theexact value of the content rating may vary based on the origin of thecontent. For example, Brazil indicates a number that represents theminimum age the audience should be to view the content (e.g., 10, 12,14, 18, etc.). In some embodiments, the content rating may be anyarbitrary value or symbol that describes the content. For example, asegment featuring gore may have a content rating of “R” or “TV-MA,” butit may also be the term “gore” or a symbol such as a red circle. Themedia guidance application may refer to stored content rating databasethat lists each representation (e.g., symbol, number, word, etc.) alongwith its respective meaning. Certain segments may therefore have acontent rating of TV-PG because it features a normal conversationbetween characters, whereas another segment may have a content rating ofa red circle because it features gore and violence. In the case ofaudio, content ratings may classify segments with sexual lyrics andexplicit language as “sexual content” or “mature content.”

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may determine, fromthe manifest file, a first segment sequence for the plurality ofsegments, wherein the first segment sequence corresponds to a sequencein which each segment of the plurality of segments is displayed duringplayback of the media asset on a local device, wherein requesting themanifest file is in response to receiving a user input requesting amedia asset. For example, when the user requests the media asset, themedia guidance application may request the manifest file. The manifestfile may provide a first segment sequence which orders the segmentsbased on the order they should be played back (e.g., to maintain theplot as originally intended by the content provider or the proper orderof the lyrics). If the user requests the media asset “Lose Yourself byEminem,” segment A may feature the twentieth lyric segment B may featurethe twenty-first lyric. Therefore, segment A should be played backbefore segment B.

The media guidance application may determine a first content rating fora first segment of the plurality of segments and a second content ratingfor a second segment of the plurality of segments. As discussedpreviously, content ratings may be arbitrarily set by the contentprovider or may be based on a country's regulation. Alternatively, thecontent provider may use symbols or words to determine a separatecontent ratings system. If the user requests to listen to “Lose Yourselfby Eminem,” the media guidance application may retrieve segments fromthe first remote server and determine the content rating for eachsegment. For example, the first segment may feature a sound bite withexplicit language or sexual content and thus have an “explicit” contentrating. The second segment may feature a lyric that is appropriate forany audience of any age group to listen to. The content rating for thesecond segment may be “universal,” implying that anyone can listenwithout fear of being exposed to explicit language, violence, or sexualcontent. Based on the manifest file, the media guidance application maydetermine these respective content ratings for the segments.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may determine, fromthe manifest file, a first segment sequence for the plurality ofsegments, wherein the first segment sequence corresponds to a sequencein which each segment of the plurality of segments is displayed duringplayback of the media asset on a local device. Furthermore, determiningthe first content rating for the first segment of the plurality ofsegments and the second content rating for the second segment of theplurality of segments may be in response to determining that the mediaasset cannot be buffered for playback according to the first segmentsequence, at current bandwidth conditions, without stalling orrebuffering. Suppose that the user is retrieving segments of the mediaasset from a server to his/her laptop. The laptop may be retrieving thesegments at a rate of 100 kilobits per second (kbps). The song however,may have a 320-kbps bit rate. Therefore, the data retrieval rate may notbe enough to buffer all bits required per second. These currentbandwidth conditions thus indicate that the media asset cannot bebuffered in its entirety without stalling or rebuffering. Therefore, themedia guidance application may begin the process of editing manifestfiles to maintain the order of the first segment sequence (e.g., normalplayback of the media asset) and satisfy current bandwidth conditions.The media guidance application may determine that removing segments thatthe user does not intend to listen to from the manifest file can satisfythe current bandwidth conditions. In response, the media guidanceapplication may determine the content ratings of each segment.

The media guidance application may compare the first content rating to athreshold content rating. The threshold content rating represents amaximum content rating that the user can view. For example, thethreshold content rating may represent a parental lock that preventschildren from viewing content rated above TV-PG. If content ratings aresymbols that represent elements such as gore, nudity, or violence (e.g.,red circle, brown circle, red triangle, respectively), the thresholdcontent rating may serve as a filter. Therefore, any segments associatedwith a content rating of a red circle or red triangle may blocked by athreshold content rating that filters out gore and violence. Based onthe previous example, the media guidance application may determine thatthe first content rating is “explicit.” If the threshold content ratingis a filter that only accepts “universal” content ratings, the mediaguidance application may determine that the first content rating exceedsthe threshold content rating.

The media guidance application may compare the second content rating toa threshold content rating. For example, the media guidance applicationmay determine that the second content rating is “universal” and thethreshold content rating is also “universal.” Therefore, the secondcontent rating corresponds to the threshold content rating. In someembodiments, the threshold content rating is determined by a userpreference. For example, a parental guidance lock retrieved from a userprofile may indicate that content ratings that are not “universal” arenot allowable for listening. The parental guidance lock provides thethreshold content rating of “universal.” In some embodiments, thethreshold content rating is determined by a content provider. Forexample, the content provider may use symbols to rate segments withexplicit language. The content provider may provide a child-friendly or“clean” version of the content by providing a threshold content ratingthat can filter out segments with explicit/sexual language.

The media guidance application may remove the first segment from themanifest file in response to determining that the first content ratingdoes not correspond to the threshold content rating. For example, upondetermining that the first content rating of “explicit” does not satisfythe threshold content rating of “universal,” the media guidanceapplication may remove the first segment from the manifest file.Therefore, during buffering, the first segment may not be buffered.Suppose that a segment represents a word of a lyric. The media guidanceapplication may determine that the word has an “explicit” contentrating, which does not satisfy the “universal” threshold content rating,and the media guidance application may remove the word (i.e., segment)from the manifest file.

The media guidance application may maintain the second segment on themanifest file in response to determining that the second content ratingcorresponds to the threshold content rating. For example, the mediaguidance application may determine that the second content rating of“universal” corresponds to the threshold content rating of “universal.”Therefore, the second segment may be left on the manifest file.

The media guidance application may buffer, at the local device, thesecond segment in response to determining that the second segment islisted on the manifest file. For example, the media guidance applicationmay buffer, to the user's laptop, the segment from “Lose Yourself byEminem,” which features a non-explicit lyric.

The media guidance application may generate, from the buffer, the secondsegment during playback of the media asset on the local device. Forexample, the media guidance application may generate the second segmentfor listening from “Lose Yourself by Eminem.”

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may buffer thesecond segment, at the local device, while a third segment of theplurality of segments is generated from the buffer. For example, whilethe media guidance application buffers the sound clip featuring the“universal” lyric, the media guidance application may generate, forlistening, a sound clip of a lyric that comes before the lyric beingbuffered. Thus, the user is not simply waiting for all segments tobuffer. Buffering and generating occur in parallel.

In some embodiments, buffering, at the local device, the second segmentis in response to determining that current bandwidth conditions supportbuffering an additional segment of the plurality of segments while athird segment of the plurality of segments is generated from the bufferwithout stalling playback of the third segment. For example, if the dataretrieval rate for the user's laptop is 1 Mbps and the music filesegment's bit rate is 320 kbps, the media guidance application maydetermine that the current bandwidth conditions allow for the thirdsegment to be generated for listening and for an additional segment tobe buffered at the local device. If these tasks cannot be performed inparallel due to the current bandwidth conditions, the media guidanceapplication may not buffer additional segments until the currentbandwidth conditions change.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may determine, fromthe manifest file, a second segment sequence for the plurality ofsegments, wherein the second segment sequence corresponds to a sequencein which each segment of the plurality of segments is buffered on thelocal device in an order based on the content rating for each segment.For example, in the case of video, the media asset may be split intofive segments on the remote server. Three of the segments may beassociated with a content rating of TV-PG, whereas two segments may beassociated with a content rating of TV-MA. The second segment sequencemay order the three segments associated with a content rating of TV-PGbefore the two segments associated with a content rating of TV-MA. Ifthe threshold content rating is TV-PG, the second segment sequenceconveniently allows the media guidance application to remove the lasttwo segments from the manifest file without individually comparing therespective content ratings with the threshold content rating.

In some embodiments, the second segment sequence corresponds to thefirst segment sequence after the first segment is removed. For example,if the media guidance application removed the first segment from themanifest file because the first content rating did not correspond to thethreshold content rating, the first segment sequence may be referred toas the second segment sequence (e.g., modified version of the firstsegment sequence). For the example of “Lose Yourself by Eminem,” thesecond segment sequence may represent a “clean” or “non-explicit”version of the song.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application may request themanifest file from a second remote server. For example, data associatedwith the media asset may be distributed over multiple servers. The firstserver may hold the media asset's segments, while the second remoteserver may hold the media asset's manifest file and metadata.

FIGS. 1-2 show illustrative display screens that may be used to providemedia guidance data. The display screens shown in FIGS. 1-2 may beimplemented on any suitable user equipment device or platform. While thedisplays of FIGS. 1-2 are illustrated as full screen displays, they mayalso be fully or partially overlaid over content being displayed. A usermay indicate a desire to access content information by selecting aselectable option provided in a display screen (e.g., a menu option, alistings option, an icon, a hyperlink, etc.) or pressing a dedicatedbutton (e.g., a GUIDE button) on a remote control or other user inputinterface or device. In response to the user's indication, the mediaguidance application may provide a display screen with media guidancedata organized in one of several ways, such as by time and channel in agrid, by time, by channel, by source, by content type, by category(e.g., movies, sports, news, children, or other categories ofprogramming), or other predefined, user-defined, or other organizationcriteria.

FIG. 1 shows illustrative grid of a program listings display 100arranged by time and channel that also enables access to different typesof content in a single display. Display 100 may include grid 102 with:(1) a column of channel/content type identifiers 104, where eachchannel/content type identifier (which is a cell in the column)identifies a different channel or content type available; and (2) a rowof time identifiers 106, where each time identifier (which is a cell inthe row) identifies a time block of programming. Grid 102 also includescells of program listings, such as program listing 108, where eachlisting provides the title of the program provided on the listing'sassociated channel and time. With a user input device, a user can selectprogram listings by moving highlight region 110. Information relating tothe program listing selected by highlight region 110 may be provided inprogram information region 112. Region 112 may include, for example, theprogram title, the program description, the time the program is provided(if applicable), the channel the program is on (if applicable), theprogram's rating, and other desired information.

In addition to providing access to linear programming (e.g., contentthat is scheduled to be transmitted to a plurality of user equipmentdevices at a predetermined time and is provided according to aschedule), the media guidance application also provides access tonon-linear programming (e.g., content accessible to a user equipmentdevice at any time and is not provided according to a schedule).Non-linear programming may include content from different contentsources including on-demand content (e.g., VOD), Internet content (e.g.,streaming media, downloadable media, etc.), locally stored content(e.g., content stored on any user equipment device described above orother storage device), or other time-independent content. On-demandcontent may include movies or any other content provided by a particularcontent provider (e.g., HBO On Demand providing “The Sopranos” and “CurbYour Enthusiasm”). HBO ON DEMAND is a service mark owned by Time WarnerCompany L.P. et al. and THE SOPRANOS and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM aretrademarks owned by the Home Box Office, Inc. Internet content mayinclude web events, such as a chat session or Webcast, or contentavailable on-demand as streaming content or downloadable content throughan Internet web site or other Internet access (e.g. FTP).

Grid 102 may provide media guidance data for non-linear programmingincluding on-demand listing 114, recorded content listing 116, andInternet content listing 118. A display combining media guidance datafor content from different types of content sources is sometimesreferred to as a “mixed-media” display. Various permutations of thetypes of media guidance data that may be displayed that are differentthan display 100 may be based on user selection or guidance applicationdefinition (e.g., a display of only recorded and broadcast listings,only on-demand and broadcast listings, etc.). As illustrated, listings114, 116, and 118 are shown as spanning the entire time block displayedin grid 102 to indicate that selection of these listings may provideaccess to a display dedicated to on-demand listings, recorded listings,or Internet listings, respectively. In some embodiments, listings forthese content types may be included directly in grid 102. Additionalmedia guidance data may be displayed in response to the user selectingone of the navigational icons 120. (Pressing an arrow key on a userinput device may affect the display in a similar manner as selectingnavigational icons 120.)

Display 100 may also include video region 122, and options region 126.Video region 122 may allow the user to view and/or preview programs thatare currently available, will be available, or were available to theuser. The content of video region 122 may correspond to, or beindependent from, one of the listings displayed in grid 102. Griddisplays including a video region are sometimes referred to aspicture-in-guide (PIG) displays. PIG displays and their functionalitiesare described in greater detail in Satterfield et al. U.S. Pat. No.6,564,378, issued May 13, 2003 and Yuen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,794,issued May 29, 2001, which are hereby incorporated by reference hereinin their entireties. PIG displays may be included in other mediaguidance application display screens of the embodiments describedherein.

Options region 126 may allow the user to access different types ofcontent, media guidance application displays, and/or media guidanceapplication features. Options region 126 may be part of display 100 (andother display screens described herein), or may be invoked by a user byselecting an on-screen option or pressing a dedicated or assignablebutton on a user input device. The selectable options within optionsregion 126 may concern features related to program listings in grid 102or may include options available from a main menu display. Featuresrelated to program listings may include searching for other air times orways of receiving a program, recording a program, enabling seriesrecording of a program, setting program and/or channel as a favorite,purchasing a program, or other features. Options available from a mainmenu display may include search options, VOD options, parental controloptions, Internet options, cloud-based options, device synchronizationoptions, second screen device options, options to access various typesof media guidance data displays, options to subscribe to a premiumservice, options to edit a user's profile, options to access a browseoverlay, or other options.

The media guidance application may be personalized based on a user'spreferences. A personalized media guidance application allows a user tocustomize displays and features to create a personalized “experience”with the media guidance application. This personalized experience may becreated by allowing a user to input these customizations and/or by themedia guidance application monitoring user activity to determine varioususer preferences. Users may access their personalized guidanceapplication by logging in or otherwise identifying themselves to theguidance application. Customization of the media guidance applicationmay be made in accordance with a user profile. The customizations mayinclude varying presentation schemes (e.g., color scheme of displays,font size of text, etc.), aspects of content listings displayed (e.g.,only HDTV or only 3D programming, user-specified broadcast channelsbased on favorite channel selections, re-ordering the display ofchannels, recommended content, etc.), desired recording features (e.g.,recording or series recordings for particular users, recording quality,etc.), parental control settings, customized presentation of Internetcontent (e.g., presentation of social media content, e-mail,electronically delivered articles, etc.) and other desiredcustomizations.

The media guidance application may allow a user to provide user profileinformation or may automatically compile user profile information. Themedia guidance application may, for example, monitor the content theuser accesses and/or other interactions the user may have with theguidance application. Additionally, the media guidance application mayobtain all or part of other user profiles that are related to aparticular user (e.g., from other web sites on the Internet the useraccesses, such as www.Tivo.com, from other media guidance applicationsthe user accesses, from other interactive applications the useraccesses, from another user equipment device of the user, etc.), and/orobtain information about the user from other sources that the mediaguidance application may access. As a result, a user can be providedwith a unified guidance application experience across the user'sdifferent user equipment devices. This type of user experience isdescribed in greater detail below in connection with FIG. 4. Additionalpersonalized media guidance application features are described ingreater detail in Ellis et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No.2005/0251827, filed Jul. 11, 2005, Boyer et al., U.S. Pat. No.7,165,098, issued Jan. 16, 2007, and Ellis et al., U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. 2002/0174430, filed Feb. 21, 2002, which arehereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

Another display arrangement for providing media guidance is shown inFIG. 2. Video mosaic display 200 includes selectable options 202 forcontent information organized based on content type, genre, and/or otherorganization criteria. In display 200, television listings option 204 isselected, thus providing listings 206, 208, 210, and 212 as broadcastprogram listings. In display 200 the listings may provide graphicalimages including cover art, still images from the content, video clippreviews, live video from the content, or other types of content thatindicate to a user the content being described by the media guidancedata in the listing. Each of the graphical listings may also beaccompanied by text to provide further information about the contentassociated with the listing. For example, listing 208 may include morethan one portion, including media portion 214 and text portion 216.Media portion 214 and/or text portion 216 may be selectable to viewcontent in full-screen or to view information related to the contentdisplayed in media portion 214 (e.g., to view listings for the channelthat the video is displayed on).

The listings in display 200 are of different sizes (i.e., listing 206 islarger than listings 208, 210, and 212), but if desired, all thelistings may be the same size. Listings may be of different sizes orgraphically accentuated to indicate degrees of interest to the user orto emphasize certain content, as desired by the content provider orbased on user preferences. Various systems and methods for graphicallyaccentuating content listings are discussed in, for example, Yates, U.S.Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0153885, filed Nov. 12, 2009,which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Users may access content and the media guidance application (and itsdisplay screens described above and below) from one or more of theiruser equipment devices. FIG. 3 shows a generalized embodiment ofillustrative user equipment device 300. More specific implementations ofuser equipment devices are discussed below in connection with FIG. 4.User equipment device 300 may receive content and data via input/output(hereinafter “I/O”) path 302. I/O path 302 may provide content (e.g.,broadcast programming, on-demand programming, Internet content, contentavailable over a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN),and/or other content) and data to control circuitry 304, which includesprocessing circuitry 306 and storage 308. Control circuitry 304 may beused to send and receive commands, requests, and other suitable datausing I/O path 302. I/O path 302 may connect control circuitry 304 (andspecifically processing circuitry 306) to one or more communicationspaths (described below). I/O functions may be provided by one or more ofthese communications paths, but are shown as a single path in FIG. 3 toavoid overcomplicating the drawing.

Control circuitry 304 may be based on any suitable processing circuitrysuch as processing circuitry 306. As referred to herein, processingcircuitry should be understood to mean circuitry based on one or moremicroprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors,programmable logic devices, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs),application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc., and may includea multi-core processor (e.g., dual-core, quad-core, hexa-core, or anysuitable number of cores) or supercomputer. In some embodiments,processing circuitry may be distributed across multiple separateprocessors or processing units, for example, multiple of the same typeof processing units (e.g., two Intel Core i7 processors) or multipledifferent processors (e.g., an Intel Core i5 processor and an Intel Corei7 processor). In some embodiments, control circuitry 304 executesinstructions for a media guidance application stored in memory (i.e.,storage 308). Specifically, control circuitry 304 may be instructed bythe media guidance application to perform the functions discussed aboveand below. For example, the media guidance application may provideinstructions to control circuitry 304 to generate the media guidancedisplays. In some implementations, any action performed by controlcircuitry 304 may be based on instructions received from the mediaguidance application.

In client-server based embodiments, control circuitry 304 may includecommunications circuitry suitable for communicating with a guidanceapplication server or other networks or servers. The instructions forcarrying out the above mentioned functionality may be stored on theguidance application server. Communications circuitry may include acable modem, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) modem, adigital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a telephone modem, Ethernet card,or a wireless modem for communications with other equipment, or anyother suitable communications circuitry. Such communications may involvethe Internet or any other suitable communications networks or paths(which is described in more detail in connection with FIG. 4). Inaddition, communications circuitry may include circuitry that enablespeer-to-peer communication of user equipment devices, or communicationof user equipment devices in locations remote from each other (describedin more detail below).

Memory may be an electronic storage device provided as storage 308 thatis part of control circuitry 304. As referred to herein, the phrase“electronic storage device” or “storage device” should be understood tomean any device for storing electronic data, computer software, orfirmware, such as random-access memory, read-only memory, hard drives,optical drives, digital video disc (DVD) recorders, compact disc (CD)recorders, BLU-RAY disc (BD) recorders, BLU-RAY 3D disc recorders,digital video recorders (DVR, sometimes called a personal videorecorder, or PVR), solid state devices, quantum storage devices, gamingconsoles, gaming media, or any other suitable fixed or removable storagedevices, and/or any combination of the same. Storage 308 may be used tostore various types of content described herein as well as mediaguidance data described above. Nonvolatile memory may also be used(e.g., to launch a boot-up routine and other instructions). Cloud-basedstorage, described in relation to FIG. 4, may be used to supplementstorage 308 or instead of storage 308.

Control circuitry 304 may include video generating circuitry and tuningcircuitry, such as one or more analog tuners, one or more MPEG-2decoders or other digital decoding circuitry, high-definition tuners, orany other suitable tuning or video circuits or combinations of suchcircuits. Encoding circuitry (e.g., for converting over-the-air, analog,or digital signals to MPEG signals for storage) may also be provided.Control circuitry 304 may also include scaler circuitry for upconvertingand downconverting content into the preferred output format of the userequipment 300. Circuitry 304 may also include digital-to-analogconverter circuitry and analog-to-digital converter circuitry forconverting between digital and analog signals. The tuning and encodingcircuitry may be used by the user equipment device to receive and todisplay, to play, or to record content. The tuning and encodingcircuitry may also be used to receive guidance data. The circuitrydescribed herein, including for example, the tuning, video generating,encoding, decoding, encrypting, decrypting, scaler, and analog/digitalcircuitry, may be implemented using software running on one or moregeneral purpose or specialized processors. Multiple tuners may beprovided to handle simultaneous tuning functions (e.g., watch and recordfunctions, picture-in-picture (PIP) functions, multiple-tuner recording,etc.). If storage 308 is provided as a separate device from userequipment 300, the tuning and encoding circuitry (including multipletuners) may be associated with storage 308.

A user may send instructions to control circuitry 304 using user inputinterface 310. User input interface 310 may be any suitable userinterface, such as a remote control, mouse, trackball, keypad, keyboard,touch screen, touchpad, stylus input, joystick, voice recognitioninterface, or other user input interfaces. Display 312 may be providedas a stand-alone device or integrated with other elements of userequipment device 300. For example, display 312 may be a touchscreen ortouch-sensitive display. In such circumstances, user input interface 310may be integrated with or combined with display 312. Display 312 may beone or more of a monitor, a television, a liquid crystal display (LCD)for a mobile device, amorphous silicon display, low temperature polysilicon display, electronic ink display, electrophoretic display, activematrix display, electro-wetting display, electrofluidic display, cathoderay tube display, light-emitting diode display, electroluminescentdisplay, plasma display panel, high-performance addressing display,thin-film transistor display, organic light-emitting diode display,surface-conduction electron-emitter display (SED), laser television,carbon nanotubes, quantum dot display, interferometric modulatordisplay, or any other suitable equipment for displaying visual images.In some embodiments, display 312 may be HDTV-capable. In someembodiments, display 312 may be a 3D display, and the interactive mediaguidance application and any suitable content may be displayed in 3D. Avideo card or graphics card may generate the output to the display 312.The video card may offer various functions such as accelerated renderingof 3D scenes and 2D graphics, MPEG-2/MPEG-4 decoding, TV output, or theability to connect multiple monitors. The video card may be anyprocessing circuitry described above in relation to control circuitry304. The video card may be integrated with the control circuitry 304.Speakers 314 may be provided as integrated with other elements of userequipment device 300 or may be stand-alone units. The audio component ofvideos and other content displayed on display 312 may be played throughspeakers 314. In some embodiments, the audio may be distributed to areceiver (not shown), which processes and outputs the audio via speakers314.

The guidance application may be implemented using any suitablearchitecture. For example, it may be a stand-alone applicationwholly-implemented on user equipment device 300. In such an approach,instructions of the application are stored locally (e.g., in storage308), and data for use by the application is downloaded on a periodicbasis (e.g., from an out-of-band feed, from an Internet resource, orusing another suitable approach). Control circuitry 304 may retrieveinstructions of the application from storage 308 and process theinstructions to generate any of the displays discussed herein. Based onthe processed instructions, control circuitry 304 may determine whataction to perform when input is received from input interface 310. Forexample, movement of a cursor on a display up/down may be indicated bythe processed instructions when input interface 310 indicates that anup/down button was selected.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application is a client-serverbased application. Data for use by a thick or thin client implemented onuser equipment device 300 is retrieved on-demand by issuing requests toa server remote to the user equipment device 300. In one example of aclient-server based guidance application, control circuitry 304 runs aweb browser that interprets web pages provided by a remote server. Forexample, the remote server may store the instructions for theapplication in a storage device. The remote server may process thestored instructions using circuitry (e.g., control circuitry 304) andgenerate the displays discussed above and below. The client device mayreceive the displays generated by the remote server and may display thecontent of the displays locally on equipment device 300. This way, theprocessing of the instructions is performed remotely by the server whilethe resulting displays are provided locally on equipment device 300.Equipment device 300 may receive inputs from the user via inputinterface 310 and transmit those inputs to the remote server forprocessing and generating the corresponding displays. For example,equipment device 300 may transmit a communication to the remote serverindicating that an up/down button was selected via input interface 310.The remote server may process instructions in accordance with that inputand generate a display of the application corresponding to the input(e.g., a display that moves a cursor up/down). The generated display isthen transmitted to equipment device 300 for presentation to the user.

In some embodiments, the media guidance application is downloaded andinterpreted or otherwise run by an interpreter or virtual machine (runby control circuitry 304). In some embodiments, the guidance applicationmay be encoded in the ETV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF), received bycontrol circuitry 304 as part of a suitable feed, and interpreted by auser agent running on control circuitry 304. For example, the guidanceapplication may be an EBIF application. In some embodiments, theguidance application may be defined by a series of JAVA-based files thatare received and run by a local virtual machine or other suitablemiddleware executed by control circuitry 304. In some of suchembodiments (e.g., those employing MPEG-2 or other digital mediaencoding schemes), the guidance application may be, for example, encodedand transmitted in an MPEG-2 object carousel with the MPEG audio andvideo packets of a program.

User equipment device 300 of FIG. 3 can be implemented in system 400 ofFIG. 4 as user television equipment 402, user computer equipment 404,wireless user communications device 406, or any other type of userequipment suitable for accessing content, such as a non-portable gamingmachine. For simplicity, these devices may be referred to hereincollectively as user equipment or user equipment devices, and may besubstantially similar to user equipment devices described above. Userequipment devices, on which a media guidance application may beimplemented, may function as a standalone device or may be part of anetwork of devices. Various network configurations of devices may beimplemented and are discussed in more detail below.

A user equipment device utilizing at least some of the system featuresdescribed above in connection with FIG. 3 may not be classified solelyas user television equipment 402, user computer equipment 404, or awireless user communications device 406. For example, user televisionequipment 402 may, like some user computer equipment 404, beInternet-enabled allowing for access to Internet content, while usercomputer equipment 404 may, like some television equipment 402, includea tuner allowing for access to television programming. The mediaguidance application may have the same layout on various different typesof user equipment or may be tailored to the display capabilities of theuser equipment. For example, on user computer equipment 404, theguidance application may be provided as a web site accessed by a webbrowser. In another example, the guidance application may be scaled downfor wireless user communications devices 406.

In system 400, there is typically more than one of each type of userequipment device but only one of each is shown in FIG. 4 to avoidovercomplicating the drawing. In addition, each user may utilize morethan one type of user equipment device and also more than one of eachtype of user equipment device.

In some embodiments, a user equipment device (e.g., user televisionequipment 402, user computer equipment 404, wireless user communicationsdevice 406) may be referred to as a “second screen device.” For example,a second screen device may supplement content presented on a first userequipment device. The content presented on the second screen device maybe any suitable content that supplements the content presented on thefirst device. In some embodiments, the second screen device provides aninterface for adjusting settings and display preferences of the firstdevice. In some embodiments, the second screen device is configured forinteracting with other second screen devices or for interacting with asocial network. The second screen device can be located in the same roomas the first device, a different room from the first device but in thesame house or building, or in a different building from the firstdevice.

The user may also set various settings to maintain consistent mediaguidance application settings across in-home devices and remote devices.Settings include those described herein, as well as channel and programfavorites, programming preferences that the guidance applicationutilizes to make programming recommendations, display preferences, andother desirable guidance settings. For example, if a user sets a channelas a favorite on, for example, the web site www.Tivo.com on theirpersonal computer at their office, the same channel would appear as afavorite on the user's in-home devices (e.g., user television equipmentand user computer equipment) as well as the user's mobile devices, ifdesired. Therefore, changes made on one user equipment device can changethe guidance experience on another user equipment device, regardless ofwhether they are the same or a different type of user equipment device.In addition, the changes made may be based on settings input by a user,as well as user activity monitored by the guidance application.

The user equipment devices may be coupled to communications network 414.Namely, user television equipment 402, user computer equipment 404, andwireless user communications device 406 are coupled to communicationsnetwork 414 via communications paths 408, 410, and 412, respectively.Communications network 414 may be one or more networks including theInternet, a mobile phone network, mobile voice or data network (e.g., a4G or LTE network), cable network, public switched telephone network, orother types of communications network or combinations of communicationsnetworks. Paths 408, 410, and 412 may separately or together include oneor more communications paths, such as, a satellite path, a fiber-opticpath, a cable path, a path that supports Internet communications (e.g.,IPTV), free-space connections (e.g., for broadcast or other wirelesssignals), or any other suitable wired or wireless communications path orcombination of such paths. Path 412 is drawn with dotted lines toindicate that in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4 it is awireless path and paths 408 and 410 are drawn as solid lines to indicatethey are wired paths (although these paths may be wireless paths, ifdesired). Communications with the user equipment devices may be providedby one or more of these communications paths, but are shown as a singlepath in FIG. 4 to avoid overcomplicating the drawing.

Although communications paths are not drawn between user equipmentdevices, these devices may communicate directly with each other viacommunication paths, such as those described above in connection withpaths 408, 410, and 412, as well as other short-range point-to-pointcommunication paths, such as USB cables, IEEE 1394 cables, wirelesspaths (e.g., Bluetooth, infrared, IEEE 802-11x, etc.), or othershort-range communication via wired or wireless paths. BLUETOOTH is acertification mark owned by Bluetooth SIG, INC. The user equipmentdevices may also communicate with each other directly through anindirect path via communications network 414.

System 400 includes content source 416 and media guidance data source418 coupled to communications network 414 via communication paths 420and 422, respectively. Paths 420 and 422 may include any of thecommunication paths described above in connection with paths 408, 410,and 412. Communications with the content source 416 and media guidancedata source 418 may be exchanged over one or more communications paths,but are shown as a single path in FIG. 4 to avoid overcomplicating thedrawing. In addition, there may be more than one of each of contentsource 416 and media guidance data source 418, but only one of each isshown in FIG. 4 to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. (The differenttypes of each of these sources are discussed below.) If desired, contentsource 416 and media guidance data source 418 may be integrated as onesource device. Although communications between sources 416 and 418 withuser equipment devices 402, 404, and 406 are shown as throughcommunications network 414, in some embodiments, sources 416 and 418 maycommunicate directly with user equipment devices 402, 404, and 406 viacommunication paths (not shown) such as those described above inconnection with paths 408, 410, and 412.

Content source 416 may include one or more types of content distributionequipment including a television distribution facility, cable systemheadend, satellite distribution facility, programming sources (e.g.,television broadcasters, such as NBC, ABC, HBO, etc.), intermediatedistribution facilities and/or servers, Internet providers, on-demandmedia servers, and other content providers. NBC is a trademark owned bythe National Broadcasting Company, Inc., ABC is a trademark owned by theAmerican Broadcasting Company, Inc., and HBO is a trademark owned by theHome Box Office, Inc. Content source 416 may be the originator ofcontent (e.g., a television broadcaster, a Webcast provider, etc.) ormay not be the originator of content (e.g., an on-demand contentprovider, an Internet provider of content of broadcast programs fordownloading, etc.). Content source 416 may include cable sources,satellite providers, on-demand providers, Internet providers,over-the-top content providers, or other providers of content. Contentsource 416 may also include a remote media server used to storedifferent types of content (including video content selected by a user),in a location remote from any of the user equipment devices. Systems andmethods for remote storage of content, and providing remotely storedcontent to user equipment are discussed in greater detail in connectionwith Ellis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,761,892, issued Jul. 20, 2010, whichis hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Media guidance data source 418 may provide media guidance data, such asthe media guidance data described above. Media guidance data may beprovided to the user equipment devices using any suitable approach. Insome embodiments, the guidance application may be a stand-aloneinteractive television program guide that receives program guide datavia a data feed (e.g., a continuous feed or trickle feed). Programschedule data and other guidance data may be provided to the userequipment on a television channel sideband, using an in-band digitalsignal, using an out-of-band digital signal, or by any other suitabledata transmission technique. Program schedule data and other mediaguidance data may be provided to user equipment on multiple analog ordigital television channels.

In some embodiments, guidance data from media guidance data source 418may be provided to users' equipment using a client-server approach. Forexample, a user equipment device may pull media guidance data from aserver, or a server may push media guidance data to a user equipmentdevice. In some embodiments, a guidance application client residing onthe user's equipment may initiate sessions with source 418 to obtainguidance data when needed, e.g., when the guidance data is out of dateor when the user equipment device receives a request from the user toreceive data. Media guidance may be provided to the user equipment withany suitable frequency (e.g., continuously, daily, a user-specifiedperiod of time, a system-specified period of time, in response to arequest from user equipment, etc.). Media guidance data source 418 mayprovide user equipment devices 402, 404, and 406 the media guidanceapplication itself or software updates for the media guidanceapplication.

In some embodiments, the media guidance data may include viewer data.For example, the viewer data may include current and/or historical useractivity information (e.g., what content the user typically watches,what times of day the user watches content, whether the user interactswith a social network, at what times the user interacts with a socialnetwork to post information, what types of content the user typicallywatches (e.g., pay TV or free TV), mood, brain activity information,etc.). The media guidance data may also include subscription data. Forexample, the subscription data may identify to which sources or servicesa given user subscribes and/or to which sources or services the givenuser has previously subscribed but later terminated access (e.g.,whether the user subscribes to premium channels, whether the user hasadded a premium level of services, whether the user has increasedInternet speed). In some embodiments, the viewer data and/or thesubscription data may identify patterns of a given user for a period ofmore than one year. The media guidance data may include a model (e.g., asurvivor model) used for generating a score that indicates a likelihooda given user will terminate access to a service/source. For example, themedia guidance application may process the viewer data with thesubscription data using the model to generate a value or score thatindicates a likelihood of whether the given user will terminate accessto a particular service or source. In particular, a higher score mayindicate a higher level of confidence that the user will terminateaccess to a particular service or source. Based on the score, the mediaguidance application may generate promotions that entice the user tokeep the particular service or source indicated by the score as one towhich the user will likely terminate access.

Media guidance applications may be, for example, stand-aloneapplications implemented on user equipment devices. For example, themedia guidance application may be implemented as software or a set ofexecutable instructions which may be stored in storage 308, and executedby control circuitry 304 of a user equipment device 300. In someembodiments, media guidance applications may be client-serverapplications where only a client application resides on the userequipment device, and server application resides on a remote server. Forexample, media guidance applications may be implemented partially as aclient application on control circuitry 304 of user equipment device 300and partially on a remote server as a server application (e.g., mediaguidance data source 418) running on control circuitry of the remoteserver. When executed by control circuitry of the remote server (such asmedia guidance data source 418), the media guidance application mayinstruct the control circuitry to generate the guidance applicationdisplays and transmit the generated displays to the user equipmentdevices. The server application may instruct the control circuitry ofthe media guidance data source 418 to transmit data for storage on theuser equipment. The client application may instruct control circuitry ofthe receiving user equipment to generate the guidance applicationdisplays.

Content and/or media guidance data delivered to user equipment devices402, 404, and 406 may be over-the-top (OTT) content. OTT contentdelivery allows Internet-enabled user devices, including any userequipment device described above, to receive content that is transferredover the Internet, including any content described above, in addition tocontent received over cable or satellite connections. OTT content isdelivered via an Internet connection provided by an Internet serviceprovider (ISP), but a third party distributes the content. The ISP maynot be responsible for the viewing abilities, copyrights, orredistribution of the content, and may only transfer IP packets providedby the OTT content provider. Examples of OTT content providers includeYOUTUBE, NETFLIX, and HULU, which provide audio and video via IPpackets. Youtube is a trademark owned by Google Inc., Netflix is atrademark owned by Netflix Inc., and Hulu is a trademark owned by Hulu,LLC. OTT content providers may additionally or alternatively providemedia guidance data described above. In addition to content and/or mediaguidance data, providers of OTT content can distribute media guidanceapplications (e.g., web-based applications or cloud-based applications),or the content can be displayed by media guidance applications stored onthe user equipment device.

Media guidance system 400 is intended to illustrate a number ofapproaches, or network configurations, by which user equipment devicesand sources of content and guidance data may communicate with each otherfor the purpose of accessing content and providing media guidance. Theembodiments described herein may be applied in any one or a subset ofthese approaches, or in a system employing other approaches fordelivering content and providing media guidance. The following fourapproaches provide specific illustrations of the generalized example ofFIG. 4.

In one approach, user equipment devices may communicate with each otherwithin a home network. User equipment devices can communicate with eachother directly via short-range point-to-point communication schemesdescribed above, via indirect paths through a hub or other similardevice provided on a home network, or via communications network 414.Each of the multiple individuals in a single home may operate differentuser equipment devices on the home network. As a result, it may bedesirable for various media guidance information or settings to becommunicated between the different user equipment devices. For example,it may be desirable for users to maintain consistent media guidanceapplication settings on different user equipment devices within a homenetwork, as described in greater detail in Ellis et al., U.S. PatentPublication No. 2005/0251827, filed Jul. 11, 2005. Different types ofuser equipment devices in a home network may also communicate with eachother to transmit content. For example, a user may transmit content fromuser computer equipment to a portable video player or portable musicplayer.

In a second approach, users may have multiple types of user equipment bywhich they access content and obtain media guidance. For example, someusers may have home networks that are accessed by in-home and mobiledevices. Users may control in-home devices via a media guidanceapplication implemented on a remote device. For example, users mayaccess an online media guidance application on a website via a personalcomputer at their office, or a mobile device such as a PDA orweb-enabled mobile telephone. The user may set various settings (e.g.,recordings, reminders, or other settings) on the online guidanceapplication to control the user's in-home equipment. The online guidemay control the user's equipment directly, or by communicating with amedia guidance application on the user's in-home equipment. Varioussystems and methods for user equipment devices communicating, where theuser equipment devices are in locations remote from each other, isdiscussed in, for example, Ellis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,046,801, issuedOct. 25, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety.

In a third approach, users of user equipment devices inside and outsidea home can use their media guidance application to communicate directlywith content source 416 to access content. Specifically, within a home,users of user television equipment 402 and user computer equipment 404may access the media guidance application to navigate among and locatedesirable content. Users may also access the media guidance applicationoutside of the home using wireless user communications devices 406 tonavigate among and locate desirable content.

In a fourth approach, user equipment devices may operate in a cloudcomputing environment to access cloud services. In a cloud computingenvironment, various types of computing services for content sharing,storage or distribution (e.g., video sharing sites or social networkingsites) are provided by a collection of network-accessible computing andstorage resources, referred to as “the cloud.” For example, the cloudcan include a collection of server computing devices, which may belocated centrally or at distributed locations, that provide cloud-basedservices to various types of users and devices connected via a networksuch as the Internet via communications network 414. These cloudresources may include one or more content sources 416 and one or moremedia guidance data sources 418. In addition or in the alternative, theremote computing sites may include other user equipment devices, such asuser television equipment 402, user computer equipment 404, and wirelessuser communications device 406. For example, the other user equipmentdevices may provide access to a stored copy of a video or a streamedvideo. In such embodiments, user equipment devices may operate in apeer-to-peer manner without communicating with a central server.

The cloud provides access to services, such as content storage, contentsharing, or social networking services, among other examples, as well asaccess to any content described above, for user equipment devices.Services can be provided in the cloud through cloud computing serviceproviders, or through other providers of online services. For example,the cloud-based services can include a content storage service, acontent sharing site, a social networking site, or other services viawhich user-sourced content is distributed for viewing by others onconnected devices. These cloud-based services may allow a user equipmentdevice to store content to the cloud and to receive content from thecloud rather than storing content locally and accessing locally-storedcontent.

A user may use various content capture devices, such as camcorders,digital cameras with video mode, audio recorders, mobile phones, andhandheld computing devices, to record content. The user can uploadcontent to a content storage service on the cloud either directly, forexample, from user computer equipment 404 or wireless usercommunications device 406 having content capture feature. Alternatively,the user can first transfer the content to a user equipment device, suchas user computer equipment 404. The user equipment device storing thecontent uploads the content to the cloud using a data transmissionservice on communications network 414. In some embodiments, the userequipment device itself is a cloud resource, and other user equipmentdevices can access the content directly from the user equipment deviceon which the user stored the content.

Cloud resources may be accessed by a user equipment device using, forexample, a web browser, a media guidance application, a desktopapplication, a mobile application, and/or any combination of accessapplications of the same. The user equipment device may be a cloudclient that relies on cloud computing for application delivery, or theuser equipment device may have some functionality without access tocloud resources. For example, some applications running on the userequipment device may be cloud applications, i.e., applications deliveredas a service over the Internet, while other applications may be storedand run on the user equipment device. In some embodiments, a user devicemay receive content from multiple cloud resources simultaneously. Forexample, a user device can stream audio from one cloud resource whiledownloading content from a second cloud resource. Or a user device candownload content from multiple cloud resources for more efficientdownloading. In some embodiments, user equipment devices can use cloudresources for processing operations such as the processing operationsperformed by processing circuitry described in relation to FIG. 3.

As referred herein, the term “in response to” refers to initiated as aresult of. For example, a first action being performed in response to asecond action may include interstitial steps between the first actionand the second action. As referred herein, the term “directly inresponse to” refers to caused by. For example, a first action beingperformed directly in response to a second action may not includeinterstitial steps between the first action and the second action.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of illustrative steps of a process 500 forimproving quality of service while streaming code-agnostic content inaccordance with some embodiments of the disclosure. It should be notedthat process 500 or any step thereof could be performed on, or providedby, any of the devices shown in FIGS. 3-4. For example, process 500 maybe executed by control circuitry 304 (FIG. 3) as instructed by a mediaguidance application implemented on a user device (e.g., user equipmentdevices 402, 404, and/or 406 (FIG. 4)) in order to improve quality ofservice while streaming code-agnostic content. In addition, one or moresteps of process 500 may be incorporated into or combined with one ormore steps of any other process or embodiment (e.g., as described inrelation to FIGS. 6-11).

At step 502, the media guidance application receives a user inputrequesting a media asset (e.g., from the I/O path 302 (FIG. 3)). Forexample, the user may request a video “Mission Impossible” that he/shewants to view. This command may be received by the media guidanceapplication through a user input interface that displays selectablevideos for viewing (e.g., user input interface 310 on display 312 (FIG.3)). Furthermore, the user may initiate this request on user televisionequipment 402, user computer equipment 404, or a wireless communicationsdevice 406.

At step 504, the media guidance application identifies a first remoteserver on which the media asset is stored (e.g., part of thecommunications network 414 (FIG. 4)). The first remote server may serveas the media content source 416 which receives the user's device'srequest through the communications path 420. The remote server can beany device that provides a service, such as file retrieval, for aclient, such as the user's local device. The remote server can beconnected to the user's local area network (LAN) as a remote accessserver (RAS), or may be a part of the local area network itself (e.g.,LAN server). Upon receiving a request for a media asset, the mediaguidance application may broadcast a search query to determine a remoteserver that has the media asset. When a remote server receives thesearch query (e.g., via communications path 420 (FIG. 4)), it may sendan acknowledgment message confirming receipt of the broadcast message. Aremote server may search its database for the media asset. If the mediaasset is found in the database of a remote server, the remote server maysend a message to the media guidance application (e.g., viacommunications path 420 (FIG. 4)) indicating possession of the mediaasset. In response, the media guidance application may identify thefirst remote server on which the media asset is stored.

At step 506, the media guidance application requests a manifest file ofthe media asset (e.g., via communications path 420 (FIG. 4)), whereinthe manifest file lists a plurality of segments that constitute themedia asset, and wherein the manifest file further indicates a thresholdbit rate for each segment. For example, the video requested by the user,“Mission Impossible,” may be split into multiple segments (e.g., videoclips) that collectively form the video. Since “Mission Impossible” is amovie, these segments may be divided by content such as plot points(e.g., first scene, second scene, etc.). The manifest file indicatesinformation about the plurality of segments such as the number ofsegments, size of each segment, length of each segment, and thethreshold bit rate of each segment. The media guidance application maystore the manifest file in storage 308 (FIG. 3). The threshold bit ratefor each segment is the number of bits per second that can betransmitted along a digital network, which are required to maintain apredetermined minimum video resolution during playback of eachrespective segment. For example, in order to view “Mission Impossible”in high-definition (e.g., video resolution of 1280×720 px), each segmentmay have an associated bit rate to maintain the high-definitionresolution throughout the entire movie.

At step 508, the media guidance application determines, from themanifest file, (e.g., via control circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) a firstsegment sequence for the plurality of segments, wherein the firstsegment sequence corresponds to a sequence in which each segment of theplurality of segments is displayed during playback of the media asset ona local device (e.g., user television equipment 402, user computerequipment 404, wireless communications device 406). If the user requeststhe media asset “Mission Impossible,” segment A may feature an argumentbetween characters and segment B may feature a brawl between thecharacters in response to the argument. Therefore, segment A should beplayed back before segment B.

At step 510, the media guidance application determines, from themanifest file, (e.g., via control circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) a firstthreshold bit rate for a first segment of the plurality of segments anda second threshold bit rate for a second segment of the plurality ofsegments, wherein the first segment occurs before the second segment inthe first segment sequence. Suppose that the user wants to view “MissionImpossible” in high-definition resolution (e.g., 720p) and each scenehas a 24-fps frame rate. The bit rate for the first segment, a monologuescene, may be 5 Mbps (i.e., megabits per second). The bit rate of thesecond segment, an action scene, may be 8 Mbps. Furthermore, themonologue scene may appear before the action scene in normal playback ofthe movie.

At step 512, the media guidance application compares (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) the first threshold bit rate and the secondthreshold bit rate to determine whether the second threshold bit rate ishigher than the first threshold bit rate. Continuing from the previousexample, the media guidance application may determine that the secondsegment has a second threshold bit rate of 8 Mbps, which is higher thanthe first threshold bit rate of 5 Mbps.

At step 514, the media guidance application determines (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) to buffer, at the local device, thesecond segment before the first segment in response to determining thatthe second threshold bit rate is higher than the first threshold bitrate. The media guidance application may buffer the segments to userequipment devices 402, 404, and/or 406 via the communications path 420(FIG. 4). In the previous example, since the second segment has agreater bit rate, the media guidance application may determine that thesecond segment contains more information. In order to ensure that thesecond segment is fully buffered, the media guidance application maydetermine that the second segment should be buffered before the firstsegment. This ensures that even if the data retrieval rate from theserver drops over the communications path 420, the user can view bothsegments without any degradation in quality.

At step 516, the media guidance application buffers (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)), at the local device, the second segment beforethe first segment. The media guidance application may temporarily storethe buffered segment in storage 308 (e.g., RAM, ROM, Hard Disk,Removable Disk, etc.) from FIG. 3. Once the user has viewed the segment,the media guidance application may remove the temporarily storedsegments that were buffered.

At step 518, the media guidance application generates for display (e.g.,on display 312 (FIG. 3)), from the buffer, the first segment before thesecond segment during playback of the media asset on the local device.In some embodiments, the media guidance application may overlay a userinput interface 310 (FIG. 3) to allow the user to select options thatpause, rewind, fast-forward, etc. the media asset. In this case, themedia guidance application generates the first segment for displaybefore the second segment based on the first segment sequence. Eventhough the second segment is buffered before the first segment, thefirst segment sequence indicates that the first segment should be playedback before the second segment.

It is contemplated that the steps or descriptions of FIG. 5 may be usedwith any other embodiment of this disclosure. In addition, the steps anddescriptions described in relation to FIG. 5 may be done in alternativeorders or in parallel to further the purposes of this disclosure. Forexample, each of these steps may be performed in any order or inparallel or substantially simultaneously to reduce lag or increase thespeed of the system or method. Any of these steps may also be skipped oromitted from the process. Furthermore, it should be noted that any ofthe devices or equipment discussed in relation to FIGS. 3-4 could beused to perform one or more of the steps in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of illustrative steps of a process 600 fordetermining whether additional segments can be buffered based on currentbandwidth conditions, in accordance with some embodiments of thedisclosure. It should be noted that process 600 or any step thereofcould be performed on, or provided by, any of the devices shown in FIGS.3-4. For example, process 600 may be executed by control circuitry 304(FIG. 3) as instructed by a media guidance application implemented on auser device (e.g., user equipment devices 402, 404, and/or 406 (FIG. 4))in order to determine whether additional segments can be buffered basedon current bandwidth conditions. In addition, one or more steps ofprocess 600 may be incorporated into or combined with one or more stepsof any other process or embodiment (e.g., as described in relation toFIGS. 5 and 7-11).

At step 602, the media guidance application generates for display (e.g.,on display 312 (FIG. 3)), a third segment of the plurality of segments.The third segment may be a part of the media asset that occurs beforethe first and second segment in terms of playback. For example, thethird segment may be the introductory scene of the movie “MissionImpossible.”

At step 604, the media guidance application determines (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) whether the current bandwidth conditionssupport buffering an additional segment of the plurality of segments.The media guidance application may determine the data retrieval rate ofthe user's local device. The data retrieval rate is the speed at whichbits are traveling over the communication path 420 from the mediacontent source 416 (e.g., the remote server) to the user's local device.The data retrieval rate represents the current bandwidth condition. Forexample, if the data retrieval rate is 5 Mbps and a segment's bit rateis 1 Mbps, the media guidance application may determine that 4 Mbps ofthe data retrieval rate can be used for other purposes. At step 606, themedia guidance application decides whether the current bandwidthconditions can support buffering an additional segment.

At step 612, in response to determining that the current bandwidthconditions can support buffering additional segments, the media guidanceapplication determines (e.g., via control circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) tobuffer, at the local device, the second segment before the first segmentin response to determining that the second threshold bit rate is higherthan the first threshold bit rate. The media guidance application maydetermine (e.g., via control circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) that the secondthreshold bit rate is higher than the first threshold bit rate.Therefore, the second segment may require additional time to buffer, ormay not be buffered if the bandwidth conditions change. It should benoted that the media guidance application may temporarily store thebuffered segments in storage 308 (FIG. 3). Once the viewer has seen therespective segment or the media asset in its entirety, the mediaguidance application may remove the stored segments from storage. Inresponse to determining that the current bandwidth conditions cannotsupport buffering additional segments, the process returns to step 602in which the media guidance application continues to display the thirdsegment.

At step 614, the media guidance application buffers (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)), at the local device, the second segment beforethe first segment. This step occurs in response to the media guidanceapplication determining that the second threshold bit rate is higherthan the first threshold bit rate.

It is contemplated that the steps or descriptions of FIG. 6 may be usedwith any other embodiment of this disclosure. In addition, the steps anddescriptions described in relation to FIG. 6 may be done in alternativeorders or in parallel to further the purposes of this disclosure. Forexample, each of these steps may be performed in any order or inparallel or substantially simultaneously to reduce lag or increase thespeed of the system or method. Any of these steps may also be skipped oromitted from the process. Furthermore, it should be noted that any ofthe devices or equipment discussed in relation to FIGS. 3-4 could beused to perform one or more of the steps in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of illustrative steps of a process 700 forbuffering on the local device in an order based on the threshold bitrate for each segment, in accordance with some embodiments of thedisclosure. It should be noted that process 700 or any step thereofcould be performed on, or provided by, any of the devices shown in FIGS.3-4. For example, process 700 may be executed by control circuitry 304(FIG. 3) as instructed by a media guidance application implemented on auser device (e.g., user equipment devices 402, 404, and/or 406 (FIG. 4))in order to buffer on the local device in an order based on thethreshold bit rate for each segment. In addition, one or more steps ofprocess 700 may be incorporated into or combined with one or more stepsof any other process or embodiment (e.g., as described in relation toFIGS. 5-6 and 8-11).

At step 702, the media guidance application requests (via thecommunication path 420 or 422 (FIG. 4)) the manifest file from a secondremote server. It should be noted that multiple servers may possessfiles associated with the media asset. For example, a second remoteserver may store segments of the media asset, metadata about the mediaasset, and the manifest file. The second remote server may therefore beconsidered the media guidance data source 418 (FIG. 4) or the mediacontent source 416 (FIG. 4).

At step 704, the media guidance application determines (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)), from the manifest file, a secondsegment sequence for the plurality of segments, wherein the secondsegment sequence corresponds to a sequence in which each segment of theplurality of segments is buffered on the local device in an order basedon the threshold bit rate for each segment. For example, the secondsegment sequence may list the segments in order of rising threshold bitrates. Thus, segments with lower threshold bit rates may be listedbefore segments with higher threshold bit rates. The second segmentsequence may also be organized in the opposite manner.

At step 706, the media guidance application determines (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) a third threshold bit rate for a thirdsegment of the plurality of segments, wherein the third segment occursbefore the first segment in the first segment sequence and is determinedby the content provider. The first segment sequence orders segmentschronologically based on playback. It may list the third segment beforethe first segment, thus implying that the third segment is meant to beplayed back before the first segment.

At step 708, the media guidance application compares (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) the third threshold bit rate and the firstthreshold bitrate to determine whether the first threshold bit rate ishigher than the third threshold bit rate. For example, the thirdthreshold bit rate may be 10 Mbps and the first threshold bit rate maybe 5 Mbps.

At step 710, the media guidance application decides (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) whether the third threshold bit rate is higherthan the first threshold bit rate. Based on the previous example, themedia guidance application may determine that the third threshold bitrate is higher than the first threshold bit rate. Suppose that the thirdthreshold bit rate is 5 Mbps and the first threshold bit rate is 7 Mbps.In this situation, the media guidance application may determine that thethird threshold bit rate is not higher than the first threshold bitrate.

At step 712, in response to determining that the third threshold bitrate is not higher than the first threshold bit rate, the media guidanceapplication determines (e.g., via control circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) tobuffer, at the local device, the third segment before the first segment.In this case, the media guidance application may give priority tobuffering segments with lower threshold bit rates. This may be becausethe data retrieval rate over communication paths 420 or 422 (FIG. 4) istoo low to buffer segments with high threshold bit rates. Rather thandisplaying nothing at all, the media guidance application may execute abest-effort attempt to display parts of the media asset.

At step 714, in response to determining that the third threshold bitrate is higher than the first threshold bit rate, the media guidanceapplication determines (e.g., via control circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) tobuffer, at the local device, the third segment after the first segment.This is motivated by the reason noted previously (e.g., the mediaguidance application may determine that the data retrieval rate is toolow to buffer segments with high threshold bit rates).

It is contemplated that the steps or descriptions of FIG. 7 may be usedwith any other embodiment of this disclosure. In addition, the steps anddescriptions described in relation to FIG. 7 may be done in alternativeorders or in parallel to further the purposes of this disclosure. Forexample, each of these steps may be performed in any order or inparallel or substantially simultaneously to reduce lag or increase thespeed of the system or method. Any of these steps may also be skipped oromitted from the process. Furthermore, it should be noted that any ofthe devices or equipment discussed in relation to FIGS. 3-4 could beused to perform one or more of the steps in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of illustrative steps of a process 800 forimproving quality of service while streaming code-agnostic content byediting manifest files in accordance with some embodiments of thedisclosure. It should be noted that process 800 or any step thereofcould be performed on, or provided by, any of the devices shown in FIGS.3-4. For example, process 800 may be executed by control circuitry 304(FIG. 3) as instructed by a media guidance application implemented on auser device (e.g., user equipment devices 402, 404, and/or 406 (FIG. 4))in order to improve quality of service while streaming code-agnosticcontent by editing manifest files. In addition, one or more steps ofprocess 800 may be incorporated into or combined with one or more stepsof any other process or embodiment (e.g., as described in relation toFIGS. 5-7 and 9-11).

At step 802, the media guidance application receives a user inputrequesting a media asset (e.g., from the I/O path 302 (FIG. 3)). Forexample, the user may request a video “Game of Thrones Episode 5” thathe/she wants to view. This command may be received by the media guidanceapplication through a user input interface that displays selectablevideos for viewing (e.g., user input interface 310 on display 312 (FIG.3)). Furthermore, the user may initiate this request on user televisionequipment 402, user computer equipment 404, or a wireless communicationsdevice 406.

At step 804, the media guidance application identifies a first remoteserver on which the media asset is stored (e.g., part of thecommunications network 414 (FIG. 4)). The first remote server may serveas the media content source 416 which receives the user's device'srequest through the communications path 420. The remote server can beany device that provides a service, such as file retrieval, for aclient, such as the user's local device. The remote server can beconnected to the user's local area network (LAN) as a remote accessserver (RAS), or may be a part of the local area network itself (e.g.,LAN server). Upon receiving a request for a media asset, the mediaguidance application may broadcast a search query to determine a remoteserver that has the media asset. When a remote server receives thesearch query (e.g., via communications path 420 (FIG. 4)), it may sendan acknowledgment message confirming receipt of the broadcast message. Aremote server may search its database for the media asset. If the mediaasset is found in the database of a remote server, the remote server maysend a message to the media guidance application (e.g., viacommunications path 420 (FIG. 4)) indicating possession of the mediaasset. In response, the media guidance application may identify thefirst remote server on which the media asset is stored.

At step 806, the media guidance application requests a manifest file ofthe media asset (e.g., from the media content source 416 (FIG. 4)),wherein the manifest file lists a plurality of segments that constitutethe media asset, and wherein the manifest file further indicates acontent rating for each segment. For example, the video requested by theuser, “Game of Thrones Episode 5,” may be split into multiple segments(e.g., video clips) that collectively form the video. Since “Game ofThrones Season 5” is a television show, these segments may be divided bycontent such as plot points (e.g., first scene, second scene, etc.).Segments may also be divided equally based on time. For example, if themovie has a two-hour runtime, twenty segments can be generated, eachbeing a non-overlapping six-minute clip. Furthermore, the remote servermay arbitrarily divide the media asset into segments of differentlengths and sizes (e.g., disregarding plot points).

The manifest file indicates information about the plurality of segmentssuch as the number of segments, size of each segment, length of eachsegment, and the content rating of each segment. The media guidanceapplication may further store the manifest file in storage 308 (FIG. 3).The content rating of each segment may indicate the recommended audiencefor which the content is suitable (e.g., TV-PG, TV-MA, PG-13, R, etc.).The exact value of the content rating may vary based on the origin ofthe content. For example, Brazil indicates a number that represents theminimum age the audience should be to view the content (e.g., 10, 12,14, 18, etc.). In some embodiments, the content rating may be anyarbitrary value or symbol that describes the content. For example, asegment featuring gore may have a content rating of “R” or “TV-MA,” butit may also be the term “gore” or a symbol such as a red circle. Themedia guidance application may refer to stored content rating databasethat lists each representation (e.g., symbol, number, word, etc.) alongwith its respective meaning. Certain segments may therefore have acontent rating of TV-PG because it features a normal conversationbetween characters, whereas another segment may have a content rating ofa red circle because it features gore and violence.

At step 808, the media guidance application determines (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) a first content rating for a firstsegment of the plurality of segments and a second content rating for asecond segment of the plurality of segments. As discussed previously,content ratings may be arbitrarily set by the content provider or may bebased on a country's regulation. Suppose the media asset originates fromthe United States. The content ratings for a television program willrange from TV-Y (i.e., appropriate for all children) to TV-MA (i.e.,specifically designed to be viewed by adults). Alternatively, thecontent provider may use symbols or words to determine a separatecontent ratings system. If the user requests to view “Game of ThronesEpisode 5,” the media guidance application may retrieve segments fromthe first remote server and determine the content rating for eachsegment. For example, the first segment may feature a scene with nudityand thus have a TV-MA content rating. The second segment may feature ascene of a normal conversation between characters and have a TV-PGcontent rating. Based on the manifest file, the media guidanceapplication may determine these respective content ratings for thesegments.

At step 810, the media guidance application compares (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) the first content rating to a threshold contentrating. The threshold content rating represents a maximum content ratingthat the user can view. For example, the threshold content rating mayrepresent a parental lock that prevents children from viewing contentrated above TV-PG. If content ratings are symbols that representelements such as gore, nudity, or violence (e.g., red circle, browncircle, red triangle, respectively), the threshold content rating mayserve as a filter. Therefore, any segments associated with a contentrating of a red circle or red triangle may blocked by a thresholdcontent rating that filters out gore and violence. Based on the previousexample, the media guidance application may determine that the firstcontent rating is TV-MA. If the threshold content rating is TV-PG, themedia guidance application may determine that the first content ratingexceeds the threshold content rating.

In some embodiments, the threshold content rating is determined by userpreference. For example, the media guidance application may retrieve auser profile (e.g., from storage 308 (FIG. 3)) that indicates athreshold content rating. If multiple user profiles are retrievedbecause the media guidance application is used by multiple users, themedia guidance application may prompt the user to identify a newthreshold content rating or his/her user profile (e.g., via the userinput interface 310 (FIG. 3)).

At step 812, the media guidance application compares (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) the second content rating to a threshold contentrating. For example, the media guidance application may determine thatthe second content rating is TV-PG and the threshold content rating isalso TV-PG. Therefore, the second content rating corresponds to thethreshold content rating.

In some embodiments, the threshold content rating is determined by acontent provider. Accordingly, the media guidance application mayretrieve the threshold content rating from the media guidance datasource 418 (FIG. 4). For example, the content provider may use symbolsto rate segments with explicit language. The content provider mayprovide a child-friendly version of the content by providing a thresholdcontent rating that can filter out segments with explicit language.

At step 814, the media guidance application removes (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) the first segment from the manifest file inresponse to determining that the first content rating does notcorrespond to the threshold content rating. The media guidanceapplication may retrieve the manifest file from storage 308, make theupdates indicated above, and store the new manifest file in storage 308(FIG. 3). For example, upon determining that the first content rating ofTV-MA exceeds the threshold content rating of TV-PG, the media guidanceapplication may remove the first segment from the manifest file.Therefore, during buffering, the first segment may not be buffered.

At step 816, the media guidance application maintains the second segmenton the manifest file in response to determining that the second contentrating corresponds to the threshold content rating. For example, themedia guidance application may determine that the second content ratingof TV-PG corresponds to the threshold content rating of TV-PG.Therefore, the second segment may be left on the manifest file.

At step 818, the media guidance application buffers (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)), at the local device, the second segment inresponse to determining that the second segment is listed on themanifest file. For example, the media guidance application may buffer,to the user's smartphone (e.g., wireless user communications device 406(FIG. 4)), the scene in “Game of Thrones Episode 5,” which features anormal conversation between characters. The media guidance applicationmay temporarily store the second segment in storage 308 (FIG. 3), untilthe user has viewed the media asset.

At step 820, the media guidance application generates (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) for display, from the buffer, the second segmentduring playback of the media asset on the local device. For example, themedia guidance application may display (e.g., on display 312 (FIG. 3))the scene featuring a normal conversation between characters, on theuser's smartphone, for viewing.

It is contemplated that the steps or descriptions of FIG. 8 may be usedwith any other embodiment of this disclosure. In addition, the steps anddescriptions described in relation to FIG. 8 may be done in alternativeorders or in parallel to further the purposes of this disclosure. Forexample, each of these steps may be performed in any order or inparallel or substantially simultaneously to reduce lag or increase thespeed of the system or method. Any of these steps may also be skipped oromitted from the process. Furthermore, it should be noted that any ofthe devices or equipment discussed in relation to FIGS. 3-4 could beused to perform one or more of the steps in FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of illustrative steps of a process 900 fordetermining whether a media asset can be buffered for playback accordingto a first segment sequence at the current bandwidth conditions, inaccordance with some embodiments of the disclosure. It should be notedthat process 900 or any step thereof could be performed on, or providedby, any of the devices shown in FIGS. 3-4. For example, process 900 maybe executed by control circuitry 304 (FIG. 3) as instructed by a mediaguidance application implemented on a user device (e.g., user equipmentdevices 402, 404, and/or 406 (FIG. 4)) in order to determine whether amedia asset can be buffered for playback according to a first segmentsequence at the current bandwidth conditions. In addition, one or moresteps of process 900 may be incorporated into or combined with one ormore steps of any other process or embodiment (e.g., as described inrelation to FIGS. 5-8 and 10-11).

At step 902, the media guidance application retrieves the user profile(e.g., from storage 308 (FIG. 3)). The user profile may includeinformation such as the user's viewing history, setting preferences(e.g., subtitles, audio, video, etc.), and parental locks.

At step 904, the media guidance application determines (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) the threshold content rating from theuser profile. For example, the parental locks in the user profile mayindicate a threshold content rating and any media asset with a contentrating above that threshold content rating may in turn be blocked.

At step 906, the media guidance application requests (e.g., via thecommunications path 420 (FIG. 4)) the manifest file from a first remoteserver (e.g., media content source 416 (FIG. 4)). The manifest file mayinclude information such as the number of segments that make up themedia asset and the duration, content rating, and threshold bit rate ofeach segment. The manifest file may get stored (e.g., in storage 308(FIG. 3)) by the media guidance application.

At step 908, the media guidance application determines (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)), from the manifest file, a first segmentsequence for the plurality of segments, wherein the first segmentsequence corresponds to a sequence in which each segment of theplurality of segments is displayed during playback of the media asset ona local device. The first segment sequence, as discussed before, may bethe order in which the media asset is intended to be viewed or listenedto by the content provider.

At step 910, the media guidance application determines (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) whether the current bandwidth conditionssupport buffering the media asset based on the first segment sequence.The media guidance application may determine the data retrieval rate ofthe user's local device. The data retrieval rate is the speed at whichbits are traveling over the communication path 420 from the mediacontent source 416 (e.g., the remote server) to the user's local device.The data retrieval rate represents the current bandwidth condition. Forexample, if the data retrieval rate is 5 Mbps and a segment's bit rateis 1 Mbps, the media guidance application may determine that 4 Mbps ofthe data retrieval rate can be used for other purposes. If the dataretrieval rate is less than 1 Mbps, the media guidance application maydetermine that the media asset cannot be buffered based on the firstsegment sequence. At step 912, the media guidance application decideswhether the current bandwidth conditions can support buffering the mediaasset based on the first segment sequence.

At step 914, in response to determining that the media asset cannot bebuffered for playback according to the first segment sequence at currentbandwidth conditions, the media guidance application determines (e.g.,via control circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) the first content rating for thefirst segment of the plurality of segments and the second content ratingfor the second segment of the plurality of segments. The purpose behindthis step is for the media guidance application to find, based oncontent rating preferences of the user or content provider, segmentsthat do not have to be buffered. This would allow the media asset to bebuffered based on the first segment sequence.

At step 916, in response to determining that the media asset can bebuffered for playback according to the first segment sequence at currentbandwidth conditions, the media guidance application buffers (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)), at the local device, the media assetbased on the first segment sequence. If the media guidance applicationdetermines that there is no need to alter the manifest file based on thecontent ratings because the current bandwidth conditions are sufficient,the media guidance application may directly proceed to buffering thefirst segment.

It is contemplated that the steps or descriptions of FIG. 9 may be usedwith any other embodiment of this disclosure. In addition, the steps anddescriptions described in relation to FIG. 9 may be done in alternativeorders or in parallel to further the purposes of this disclosure. Forexample, each of these steps may be performed in any order or inparallel or substantially simultaneously to reduce lag or increase thespeed of the system or method. Any of these steps may also be skipped oromitted from the process. Furthermore, it should be noted that any ofthe devices or equipment discussed in relation to FIGS. 3-4 could beused to perform one or more of the steps in FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of illustrative steps of a process 1000 fordetermining, from the manifest file, a second segment sequence for theplurality of segments, in accordance with some embodiments of thedisclosure. It should be noted that process 1000 or any step thereofcould be performed on, or provided by, any of the devices shown in FIGS.3-4. For example, process 1000 may be executed by control circuitry 304(FIG. 3) as instructed by a media guidance application implemented on auser device (e.g., user equipment devices 402, 404, and/or 406 (FIG. 4))in order to determine, from the manifest file, a second segment sequencefor the plurality of segments. In addition, one or more steps of process1000 may be incorporated into or combined with one or more steps of anyother process or embodiment (e.g., as described in relation to FIGS. 5-9and 11).

At step 1002, the media guidance application requests (via thecommunication path 420 or 422 (FIG. 4)) the manifest file from a secondremote server. It should be noted that multiple servers may possessfiles associated with the media asset. For example, a second remoteserver may store segments of the media asset, metadata about the mediaasset, and the manifest file. The second remote server may therefore beconsidered the media guidance data source 418 (FIG. 4) or the mediacontent source 416 (FIG. 4).

At step 1004, the media guidance application determines (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)), from the manifest file, a secondsegment sequence for the plurality of segments, wherein the secondsegment sequence corresponds to a sequence in which each segment of theplurality of segments is buffered on the local device in an order basedon the threshold bit rate for each segment. For example, the secondsegment sequence may list the segments in order of rising threshold bitrates. Thus, segments with lower threshold bit rates may be listedbefore segments with higher threshold bit rates. The second segmentsequence may also be organized in the opposite manner.

It is contemplated that the steps or descriptions of FIG. 10 may be usedwith any other embodiment of this disclosure. In addition, the steps anddescriptions described in relation to FIG. 10 may be done in alternativeorders or in parallel to further the purposes of this disclosure. Forexample, each of these steps may be performed in any order or inparallel or substantially simultaneously to reduce lag or increase thespeed of the system or method. Any of these steps may also be skipped oromitted from the process. Furthermore, it should be noted that any ofthe devices or equipment discussed in relation to FIGS. 3-4 could beused to perform one or more of the steps in FIG. 10.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of illustrative steps of a process 1100 forbuffering additional segments based on current bandwidth conditions, inaccordance with some embodiments of the disclosure. It should be notedthat process 1100 or any step thereof could be performed on, or providedby, any of the devices shown in FIGS. 3-4. For example, process 1100 maybe executed by control circuitry 304 (FIG. 3) as instructed by a mediaguidance application implemented on a user device (e.g., user equipmentdevices 402, 404, and/or 406 (FIG. 4)) in order to buffer additionalsegments based on current bandwidth conditions. In addition, one or moresteps of process 1100 may be incorporated into or combined with one ormore steps of any other process or embodiment (e.g., as described inrelation to FIGS. 5-10).

At step 1102, the media guidance application generates for display(e.g., on display 312 (FIG. 3)), a third segment of the plurality ofsegments. The third segment may be a part of the media asset that occursbefore the first and second segment in terms of playback. For example,the third segment may be the introductory scene of the movie “MissionImpossible.”

At step 1104, the media guidance application determines (e.g., viacontrol circuitry 304 (FIG. 3)) whether the current bandwidth conditionssupport buffering an additional segment of the plurality of segments.The media guidance application may determine the data retrieval rate ofthe user's local device. The data retrieval rate is the speed at whichbits are traveling over the communication path 420 from the mediacontent source 416 (e.g., the remote server) to the user's local device.The data retrieval rate represents the current bandwidth condition. Forexample, if the data retrieval rate is 5 Mbps and a segment's bit rateis 1 Mbps, the media guidance application may determine that 4 Mbps ofthe data retrieval rate can be used for other purposes. At step 1106,the media guidance application decides whether the current bandwidthconditions can support buffering an additional segment.

At step 1108, in response to determining that that current bandwidthconditions support buffering an additional segment of the plurality ofsegments, the media guidance application buffers (e.g., via controlcircuitry 304 (FIG. 3)), at the local device, the second segment. Thisis because the media guidance application determines that the dataretrieval rate can be utilized to generate the third segment for displayand buffer the second segment simultaneously. If the media guidanceapplication determines that the current bandwidth conditions do notsupport buffering an additional segment of the plurality of segments,the process returns to step 1102 as the media guidance applicationcontinues to display the third segment.

It is contemplated that the steps or descriptions of FIG. 11 may be usedwith any other embodiment of this disclosure. In addition, the steps anddescriptions described in relation to FIG. 11 may be done in alternativeorders or in parallel to further the purposes of this disclosure. Forexample, each of these steps may be performed in any order or inparallel or substantially simultaneously to reduce lag or increase thespeed of the system or method. Any of these steps may also be skipped oromitted from the process. Furthermore, it should be noted that any ofthe devices or equipment discussed in relation to FIGS. 3-4 could beused to perform one or more of the steps in FIG. 11.

The processes discussed above are intended to be illustrative and notlimiting. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the steps of theprocesses discussed herein may be omitted, modified, combined, and/orrearranged, and any additional steps may be performed without departingfrom the scope of the invention. More generally, the above disclosure ismeant to be exemplary and not limiting. Only the claims that follow aremeant to set bounds as to what the present invention includes.Furthermore, it should be noted that the features and limitationsdescribed in any one embodiment may be applied to any other embodimentherein, and flowcharts or examples relating to one embodiment may becombined with any other embodiment in a suitable manner, done indifferent orders, or done in parallel. In addition, the systems andmethods described herein may be performed in real time. It should alsobe noted that the systems and/or methods described above may be appliedto, or used in accordance with, other systems and/or methods.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for improving quality of service whilestreaming code-agnostic content, the method comprising: receiving a userinput requesting a media asset; in response to receiving the user input,identifying a first remote server on which the media asset is stored;requesting a manifest file of the media asset from a second remoteserver, wherein the manifest file lists a plurality of segments thatconstitute the media asset, and wherein the manifest file furtherindicates a threshold bit rate for each segment; determining, from themanifest file, a first segment sequence for the plurality of segments,wherein the first segment sequence corresponds to a sequence in whicheach segment of the plurality of segments is displayed during playbackof the media asset on a local device; determining a first threshold bitrate for a first segment of the plurality of segments and a secondthreshold bit rate for a second segment of the plurality of segments,wherein the first segment occurs before the second segment in the firstsegment sequence; comparing the first threshold bit rate and the secondthreshold bitrate to determine whether the second threshold bit rate ishigher than the first threshold bit rate; determining to buffer, at thelocal device, the second segment before the first segment in response todetermining that the second threshold bit rate is higher than the firstthreshold bit rate; buffering, at the local device, the second segmentbefore the first segment, wherein the buffering occurs while a thirdsegment of the plurality of segments is generated for display from thebuffer, and wherein the third segment occurs before both the firstsegment and the second segment in the first segment sequence; andgenerating for display, from the buffer, the first segment before thesecond segment during playback of the media asset on the local device.2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to buffer, at the localdevice, the second segment before the first segment is further inresponse to determining that current bandwidth conditions supportbuffering an additional segment of the plurality of segments while thethird segment of the plurality of segments is generated for display fromthe buffer without stalling playback of the third segment.
 3. The methodof claim 1, further comprising determining, from the manifest file, asecond segment sequence for the plurality of segments, wherein thesecond segment sequence corresponds to a sequence in which each segmentof the plurality of segments is buffered on the local device in an orderbased on the threshold bit rate for each segment.
 4. The method of claim1, wherein the threshold bit rate for each segment is based on a bitrate required to maintain a predetermined minimum video resolutionduring playback of each respective segment, wherein the predeterminedminimum video resolution for each respective segment is determined by auser preference.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold bitrate for each segment is based on a bit rate required to maintain apredetermined minimum video resolution during playback of eachrespective segment, wherein the predetermined minimum video resolutionfor each respective segment is determined by a content provider.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the threshold bit rate for each segment isbased on a bit rate required to maintain a predetermined minimum videoresolution during playback of each respective segment, and wherein thepredetermined minimum video resolution for each respective segment isdetermined by detecting a threshold number of different colors in eachrespective segment.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold bitrate for each segment is based on a bit rate required to maintain apredetermined minimum video resolution during playback of eachrespective segment, and wherein the predetermined minimum videoresolution for each respective segment is determined by detecting athreshold number of colors changes for a single pixel location onconsecutive frames in each respective segment.
 8. The method of claim 1,further comprising: determining a third threshold bit rate for the thirdsegment of the plurality of segments; comparing the first threshold bitrate and the third threshold bitrate to determine whether the firstthreshold bit rate is higher than the third threshold bit rate; anddetermining to buffer, at the local device, the third segment before thefirst segment in response to determining that the third threshold bitrate is not higher than the first threshold bit rate.
 9. A system forimproving quality of service while streaming code-agnostic content, thesystem comprising: control circuitry configured to: receive a user inputrequesting a media asset; in response to receiving the user input,identify a first remote server on which the media asset is stored;request a manifest file of the media asset from a second remote server,wherein the manifest file lists a plurality of segments that constitutethe media asset, and wherein the manifest file further indicates athreshold bit rate for each segment; determine, from the manifest file,a first segment sequence for the plurality of segments, wherein thefirst segment sequence corresponds to a sequence in which each segmentof the plurality of segments is displayed during playback of the mediaasset on a local device; determine a first threshold bit rate for afirst segment of the plurality of segments and a second threshold bitrate for a second segment of the plurality of segments, wherein thefirst segment occurs before the second segment in the first segmentsequence; compare the first threshold bit rate and the second thresholdbitrate to determine whether the second threshold bit rate is higherthan the first threshold bit rate; determine to buffer, at the localdevice, the second segment before the first segment in response todetermining that the second threshold bit rate is higher than the firstthreshold bit rate; buffer, at the local device, the second segmentbefore the first segment, wherein the buffering occurs while a thirdsegment of the plurality of segments is generated for display from thebuffer, and wherein the third segment occurs before both the firstsegment and the second segment in the first segment sequence; andgenerate for display, from the buffer, the first segment before thesecond segment during playback of the media asset on the local device.10. The system of claim 9, wherein control circuitry is furtherconfigured to determine to buffer, at the local device, the secondsegment before the first segment is further in response to determiningthat current bandwidth conditions support buffering an additionalsegment of the plurality of segments while the third segment of theplurality of segments is generated for display from the buffer withoutstalling playback of the third segment.
 11. The system of claim 9,wherein control circuitry is further configured to determine, from themanifest file, a second segment sequence for the plurality of segments,wherein the second segment sequence corresponds to a sequence in whicheach segment of the plurality of segments is buffered on the localdevice in an order based on the threshold bit rate for each segment. 12.The system of claim 9, wherein the threshold bit rate for each segmentis based on a bit rate required to maintain a predetermined minimumvideo resolution during playback of each respective segment, wherein thepredetermined minimum video resolution for each respective segment isdetermined by a user preference.
 13. The system of claim 9, wherein thethreshold bit rate for each segment is based on a bit rate required tomaintain a predetermined minimum video resolution during playback ofeach respective segment, wherein the predetermined minimum videoresolution for each respective segment is determined by a contentprovider.
 14. The system of claim 9, wherein the threshold bit rate foreach segment is based on a bit rate required to maintain a predeterminedminimum video resolution during playback of each respective segment, andwherein the predetermined minimum video resolution for each respectivesegment is determined by detecting a threshold number of differentcolors in each respective segment.
 15. The system of claim 9, whereinthe threshold bit rate for each segment is based on a bit rate requiredto maintain a predetermined minimum video resolution during playback ofeach respective segment, and wherein the predetermined minimum videoresolution for each respective segment is determined by detecting athreshold number of colors changes for a single pixel location onconsecutive frames in each respective segment.
 16. The system of claim9, wherein control circuitry is further configured to: determine a thirdthreshold bit rate for the third segment of the plurality of segments;compare the first threshold bit rate and the third threshold bitrate todetermine whether the first threshold bit rate is higher than the thirdthreshold bit rate; and determine to buffer, at the local device, thethird segment before the first segment in response to determining thatthe third threshold bit rate is not higher than the first threshold bitrate.